Ultimate Sacrifice
by cindygirl
Summary: A deadly curse was placed on Sesshoumaru. A miko with a determination to break it to help him. The Kami's plans to get rid of the evil on the lands, but at what cost? Will their plan work to rid the lands of the evil, or will the balance of power be shifted to plunge the world into darkness? Join me on this journey to see who will win.
1. Chapter 1

The Ultimate Sacrifice

A tall and imposing figure was walking slowly through the forest. His impressive height not making a sound while he moved gracefully over the leaf covered ground. His crisp white Kimono was clearly seen in the dark forest. His silver hair was flowing freely behind him as a gentle summer's breeze caressed it slightly while he walked.

Deep golden eyes were scanning the area in front of him, searching the area for any potential threats. His elegant features left nothing to the imagination, the deep blue crescent moon on his forehead and the two magenta crests on each of his cheeks told of his lineage. He was a handsome Youkai of great power and anyone who felt his aura knew that he was not one to be messed with.

The Lord of the Western lands was traveling alone this time, he missed the company of his small pack, Rin's chatter always brought a smile to his lips. The young girl never ran out of things to say and always kept the kappa on his toes. She would find the most amusing ways to decorate the kappa with flowers. Jaken would be begging to save him but he just ignored his request, and let the pup do as she wished.

Secretly he enjoyed watching Rin decorate Jaken with her many flowers. It made the smelly kappa smell better in his opinion, and anything that soothed his senses was all right in his mind.

Sesshoumaru left Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un in a safe place. It has become too dangerous for Rin to travel with him because Naraku was after her. He has tried several times now to snatch her from him and in each of those times the little miko that travels with the half breeds pack would be near to stop Naraku's attempts.

He has heard rumors of a powerful Youkai on the boarder of his lands to the north. He decided to strike out on his own to see if he could find the illusive hanyou. He was tired of Naraku manipulating everyone to get to him and he was bound and determined to kill him.

He could care less that his brother was after Naraku as well. He knew that he will be the one to deal the death blow to the arachnid and so he continued to hunt him down. After all no one took what was his and lived to tell about it and Naraku was no exception.

He continued on his way while he sent his youki out to ferret out any threats to him. He sniffed the air and noticed that his half-brother and his pack were heading in the same direction he was. They were a good distance away from him and he preferred it that way.

He was tired of teaching that fool how to fight so he could stay alive. Contrary to popular belief he was not out to kill Inuyasha, he made a promise to his father that he would protect his brother until he was old enough to protect himself.

The hanyou was stubborn and did not want to learn how to fight from him. So, he devised a plan that whenever they met he would get in a fight with his brother to make sure that he taught him the ways of the sword.

Sesshoumaru sighed at that thought. He tried to teach the half breed correctly but when he would not listen and did what he wanted, Sesshoumaru would always hurt him. He would sometimes injure him badly that it would take days for him to heal. But during that time the hanyou thought about what he did wrong and how to improve on his moves so that what happened to him this time would not happen again.

His method of teaching the half breed was crude but it did have the desired effect. The next time they would meet he could not catch his brother as easily as before. Inuyasha learned his lessons the hard way but now has more control over his father's sword.

He continued to walk while he thought about his brother's pack. It was a strange group indeed. The likes of which have never been seen before. He must admit that he had fun learning about each member of the group. It took a lot of time and effort on his part to find out everyone's story but it was worth the effort.

Sesshoumaru liked challenges and anything that would work his mind. It satisfied his natural curiosity and it was the mental workout that he needed from time to time. He always tried to keep his body in shape but most of all he needed to keep his mind sharp for the things he had to do. Besides knowing about your enemy was always an advantage because you can use their weakness against them in battle.

The first one he found out about was the monk that traveled with them. He could trace his lineage back a few hundred years. He was surprised that his line was a line of lecherous monks before they met the one that they would mate with. Once they mated they settled down and were very devoted fathers, especially to their daughters.

Having been lechers in their life times they could spot one a mile away and kept a close watch over their daughters. His line continued to grow and prosper until the monk's grandfather had a run in with Naraku. They were in a fierce battle when the monk threw his ofuda's and Naraku returned it back to him with a curse. The ofuda pierced his right hand causing a hole and that was the birth of the wind tunnel, each generation after him would receive the curse. Of course, the strange part was that the curse only applied to the males of the clan not the females.

Then there was the Youkai slayer. She was harder to find information on but in the end, he could find out where she came from and who her clan was. He was surprised that she came from the village of Midoriko and her clan made their living killing his kind.

The upside to their profession was that they only killed those Youkai that would cause problems. It was too bad that they could not detect what Naraku was up to before he destroyed their village and the group of hunters that were out at the time.

From what he has could find out everyone was killed except for the Taijiya and her brother, who is under Naraku's control. He has met the young Taijiya and almost killed him if it were not for his half-brother getting in his way. He understood his reasons and the boy has proven his worth by protecting Rin a few times.

The young fox kit remains a mystery to him. He has not been able to find out what clan he belongs to or what region. The kit never talks about his family so it was hard for him to find out who he was, though he is very mischievous as is the norm for his kind.

The fire neko is only a low-level Youkai and though she is powerful when she transforms she is not a threat to him.

Then came the little miko. Now she was a total mystery to him. He has not been able to find out where she comes from or where her village is located. He knew that she lived close to the village that was in the half breed's forest.

From time to time he would detect her aura one minute and then it would disappear from the area. He would investigate the village where his brother resided but the miko would not be there. Then she would just appear suddenly. It seems to him that she just materialized out of thin air and started traveling with the half breed again.

She was a curious creature to say the least. She dresses like a whore but he could detect her innocence. She was the only one who has ever defied him. She stood her ground against him and challenged him to do otherwise.

He was curious about her. Even though he had no use for ningens, she was a wealth of knowledge. He has been close to the group when he observed her teaching the little kit. She was very well educated and the perfect mother for the kit. Though when the kit gets into mischief, she would be stern with him and corrected his behavior when he was out of line. He has seen this motherly instinct come out when she was with his ward and Rin would enjoy it.

He also noticed that her powers were growing. She was a very powerful miko but the curious thing was that she hid her powers from the others. He wanted to know why she did this. Most ningens would show just how powerful they were but the little miko kept her powers a secret.

She is a curious creature indeed. Then there was the fact that when he was near, her aura would calm his beast. Nothing has ever calmed the raging beast inside his body. He found this most curious and her scent was very pleasing to his sensitive nose. It was the scent of lavender with a hint of a powerful storm approaching.

He stopped his forward motion, _'What am I thinking! She is a ningen and a miko. I should not be spending my time thinking about the wench. She is below me in every sense of the word, but she does have the most fascinating eyes. I have never seen eyes like hers before. They are a bright blue and within the middle of her eyes, where her pupils were, there was a hint of a gold ring.'_

Sesshoumaru's beast provided an image of the girl in his mind. There she stood in a short green skirt and white haori. She had long silky legs and a body that was perfectly shaped, curved in all the right places, while she walked with grace and beauty. She was a sight to behold and he wondered why the half breed let her wonder around the lands unmarked.

He shook his head to get rid of the image that he was seeing and continued walking, _'I will need to visit the miko, she is a good source of information pertaining to Naraku when asked politely. She has never denied this Sesshoumaru the information I wished when I have asked her in the past. I must approach her when the half breed leaves the group tonight. He is bound to visit the corpse miko that is following them.'_

Sesshoumaru could tell that the corpse miko was following them and that could only mean trouble for the little miko that was with them. For years, he has known of his half-brother's fascination with the corpse miko. He shook his head. He always knew that his brother was born with only half a brain if he would go after the dead and leave the living one behind.

He continued walking while he thought about different things that were of importance to him, like the destruction of Naraku.

-oOo-

Off in the distance the evil hanyou was finalizing his plans. He has come up with the perfect way to get rid of Sesshoumaru. He knew that the powerful Daiyoukai was looking for him and he did not want to be found. Of all the Youkai that are looking for him Sesshoumaru was the one he feared the most.

He was a powerful Daiyoukai, the like of which he has never seen before, and he tried to absorb him once. But that did not work out at all when the half breed showed up and freed his brother from his grasp.

As a matter of fact, if it was not for Inuyasha he would have killed his pack already. That little miko that resembles Kikyou so much was a pain in his side. She was always getting in his way and the bad thing about it was that she was getting more powerful. If her powers continue to grow, then she will surpass Kikyou in power. He turned to his incardination's, "Kagura, Kana, Hakudoshi, is everything set?"

Hakudoshi, his latest creation, stepped forward and said, "Yes Naraku, we have everything we need and we know his location, by tonight he will be dead."

Naraku laughed, his eyes glistening with excitement. He will finally be rid of the Western Lord once and for all. He has been a thorn in his side for years and it was about time that he took care of him. Sesshoumaru has proven to be a powerful opponent but his time in walking these lands is over. "Good, now off with you. Make sure that you take care of the great Lord Sesshoumaru."

Kagura, Kana, and Hakudoshi took off and went to do their masters bidding.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru has been walking all day, he never stopped to eat or rest. It was not in his nature to stop, when he traveled with his pack he would only stop because of Rin and her need to rest and gather food. Once night fell he would go hunting and have his fill. This was the only time that he would let his inner Inu out. He knew he could not keep his beast chained forever, he had to give him some freedom, so he would let him out every now and then.

He was walking through a clearing when he stopped in his tracks. His eyes were scanning the area around the clearing. He was detecting many Youkai approaching him. They were all coming towards him and forming a circle around the area. He could feel them getting closer, his hand opened and closed, allowing his claws to grow in length, and getting them ready with his poison.

His nose twitched while he scented the air, _'This is Naraku's scent, I wonder if he is responsible for the Youkai coming into this area.'_ He stood there and waited, though he could smell Naraku in the area it was Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi that were coming towards him. Sesshoumaru braced himself, he knew this was a trap but he had to see what the evil hanyou was up to.

He didn't have to wait for long when Naraku's three incarnations appeared in front of him. He was eyeing them intently to see what they were going to do, while he detected the rest of the Youkai stopping by the forest edge.

Hakudoshi stepped forward, addressing the Western Lord, "Good day Lord Sesshoumaru, we bring a message from Naraku."

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant eyebrow, stating in a regal voice, "Oh, why would Naraku be sending this Sesshoumaru a message? Is he afraid to come here himself to deliver it?"

Hakudoshi gave a smile that did not reach his eyes, "Naraku is too busy now for this type of work. He would rather that we deliver his message for him. But he did send his apologies for not being able to deliver this himself. He hopes that you will like what he has sent you." He raised his staff and the Youkai attacked Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru was ready, he expected this much from Naraku. He saw the hordes of Youkai coming in to attack, he leaped into the air and lashed out with his whip. The mindless Youkai did not have a chance against him, while he was cutting them all down with ease.

Even though Sesshoumaru was fighting, he was mindful that this was a little too easy. Naraku never offered up his servants unless he had something else in mind. He knew that he could not find his ward. She was in a well-protected area and it was impossible for anyone to know where she was located. He continued to use his claws and whip, making quick work of the Youkai that thought to attack him.

Whereas Sesshoumaru was busy with the Youkai in the area, Kanna was busy as well. She took a small bag out of her kimono and held it in her hand. She looked at Kagura and asked in a small and timid voice, "Are you ready Kagura?"

Kagura nodded her head indicating that she was ready, and pulled her fan from her obi. Kanna then turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru and the moment they saw that Sesshoumaru defeated the last Youkai in the clearing, Kanna threw the small bag on the ground, allowing it burst open, making a cloud of blue smoke come forth.

Kagura used her fan causing the wind to blow the smoke towards the Youkai lord before he came after them.

Sesshoumaru had just finished killing all the Youkai in the area, he turned looking for Naraku's incarnation, when he was hit with a blue cloud of smoke in the face. His eyes started to water and then he was coughing. He was surrounded by blue smoke, while he used the sleeve of his kimono to cover his nose from the foul stench. Using his youki, he removed the poison from the area. He felt dizzy for just a minute and then he regained his balance. When the smoke cleared, his eyes opened wide.

Sesshoumaru noticed that everything around him was a lot bigger than it was a few moments ago. The grass around him was a lot taller, it came to about his knees and he thought this to be strange. The trees around the area were taller than he remembered. He thought that the saplings that were near the clearing were a lot smaller than they were now.

He didn't understand what happened, he started to move, looking around the area trying to figure out what they did to him. He scanned the area looking for Naraku's cast offs when he spotted them in the distance. _'So… they think that they can come here, attack me, and then leave to go back to that half breed.'_ He made up his mind that he was going to follow and took off after them.

Sesshoumaru stopped in his tracks when he noticed that the group was coming back towards him. They were moving faster than he ever noticed before. When they were within range he had to look up to see them. That's when he understood what happened to him.

Naraku's underlings watched as the potion worked its magic. It shrunk Sesshoumaru down to the height of a child's doll. They all walked closer to the Youkai lord and stopped just a few feet away from him. Hakudoshi smiled, looking down he stated, "I hope you like your new form Sesshoumaru. Naraku is tired of you pursuing him and he has sent us to take care of you. Now we will take our leave, we are sure that you will enjoy playing with Naraku's new pets."

Three Youkai came out of the forest and started going towards Sesshoumaru. They towered over Sesshoumaru miniature form when they saw their target.

Sesshoumaru turned and faced his new opponents. He will not be defeated by such low-level Youkai. They were a lot larger than they used to be but that did not mean that he was defenseless against them.

Sesshoumaru got ready when the first of the Youkai attacked him. He leaped out of the way and sent his whip towards his target. To his surprise his whip had no effect on the Youkai, it only left a red mark on its chest.

Sesshoumaru's mind was working fast, he did not expect this, his powers were greatly diminished because of his size and now he was in real trouble. He pulled Tokijin from its sheath and sent a blast from his sword towards the attacking Youkai. The strike did a little more damage than his whip but not much. This was not good and Sesshoumaru dodge the next attack until he figured out what to do.

The three incarnations watched Sesshoumaru battling for his life. They knew it would only be a matter of time before the Youkai lord was dead. They left before the Youkai destroyed Sesshoumaru, knowing that he will not be able to defeat Naraku's pets, they will return to their master with the good news.

Sesshoumaru was fighting the most intense battle of his life, though he still had his speed it was no match against the Youkai that were attacking him. He was hit on his side and landed hard on the ground. He was struggling to get up, his only arm was now broken. He was defenseless, while the three Youkai made their way towards him.

Sesshoumaru stood on shaky legs, he was bleeding from the cuts on his face and he was breathing hard. His arm hurt like hell and he was swaying on his feet. He had no idea what to do as he faced his opponents. He was no match for them in this form and he was running out of options. He now lost the use of his only arm and there was no way he will be able to fight them off without his sword.

He stood there looking at his opponents, blood running down his face from the several cuts that he received in battle. Even though he could not kill them he had inflicted some damage to them. Sesshoumaru was quickly coming to a decision and knew that this was a fight that he could not win. He made up his mind that he will die a warrior's death, facing his enemies.

The three Youkai that were attacking Sesshoumaru moved forward for the final blow. They knew that the Western Lord could no longer fight and they were gloating over what they have done. They will earn a reputation for themselves as the ones who killed the great Lord Sesshoumaru. They stopped right in front of him as the Youkai in the middle raised his arm and was about to deliver the final deathblow.

Sesshoumaru stands his ground, determined to face death head on when three arrows hit the Youkai in the chest and they were purified. He turns to see who has helped him when his eyes opened wide. He never expected her to come to his aid, now he was indebted to her and he did not like this one bit.

-oOo-

Hello everyone. Sorry for the delay in posting this story but life has a way of getting in the way. But here is the long awaited Ultimate Sacrifice. This story is complete and I will post it all as we progress. I have heard your request and the chapters are kept to about 15 pages. I will try to post weekly or sooner if I know I will not be on the net. So stay with me as we journey together to see what happens.

I hope you enjoy it.

Jani


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Inuyasha and his group were traveling Northwest at a fast pace. The hanyou never thought about his companions. He never saw them struggling to keep up to him or that they were lagging. He did not pay attention to them when they would call his name to try and make him stop his relentless pace.

He never noticed when his group was attacked from behind while the Youkai went after Kagome for the jewel shards she wore around her neck. The rest of his pack were fighting viciously to protect her but it was Kagome who would kill the Youkai in the end while they continued on their way.

Inuyasha's only concern was to get as many jewel shards as possible before Naraku did. They almost had half of the jewel and it was only a matter of time before they ran out of shards to collect. He was determined to beat Naraku at his own game and when the jewel was finally complete he could make his wish.

All he wanted was for Kikyou to be returned to him so they could live a happy life, the life that was so rudely taken away from him by Naraku. He knew that Kikyou was following them, he had a place in mind, that they were to meet in tonight. He was pushing his group hard to get to that spot as fast as possible.

Inuyasha stopped, he finally arrived at the area he was going to meet Kikyou in. He looked behind him to talk to his pack when he noticed that they were not with him. He growls then jumps into a tree to wait. _'Feh! Ningens are so slow. They can never keep up with me. I don't know why I keep traveling with them when they are worthless and there are jewel shards just waiting for us to collect them.'_

His puppy ears twitched when he finally hears his group approaching, he jumps back down from his perch, when his pack finally makes it to the clearing he was in. He was angry with them because he had to sit there and wait while he could have been spending time with his beloved Kikyou, "What took you guys so long? You are the most worthless ningens I have ever met! You can't even keep up to me as we travel."

Inuyasha finally stops his ranting to take a close look at his friends. They were all battered and bloody, "What the hell happened to all of you?"

Shippou had enough of the hanyou's rant, when he yelled into his sensitive ears, "We were attacked by Youkai who wanted the jewel shards that Oka-san has. We had to battle them without you because you wouldn't listen when we called for you. They hurt Sango, and Miroku is hurt as well. But they almost got Oka-san."

Inuyasha's eyes opened wide when he heard the kits words. Sango had a cut on her arm and it was bleeding very badly, Miroku's leg was injured while he used his staff to move around the area. Finally, his eyes landed on Kagome, she was bruised and bloodied. She had a cut on her cheek, her shirt was torn exposing the bra that she wore under her garments. Her skirt was torn as well; her legs were all scratched up from the battle.

Inuyasha stood straight up, crossed his arms over his chest and stated, "Feh! I thought that you guys could handle the small fry that showed up. I guess I was wrong, you are a bunch of weak ningens, and you're all worthless as far as I'm concern."

Kagome was trying to put her pain aside, while she was looking in her bag for her medical kit. She needed to treat Sango and Miroku for their injuries before it was too late. She heard Inuyasha's words as Shippou came to their defense. But when he was told that they were attacked he just blew it off like it was the norm. They all could have been killed and he didn't care. The only thing he cared about was the jewel shards.

Shippou was losing his patience with the hanyou, "Inuyasha! You are an idiot! It wasn't the one Youkai that attacked us first that we had problems with, it was the ones that came after that one who gave us the trouble. But no, you just had to keep going so you could meet up with that dead corpse Kikyou!"

That was it Inuyasha lost his temper and went after the kit. He tried to pound him into the ground but the little kit was faster than he thought.

Kagome's anger was growing by the minute and she had enough. She stood up and yelled, "SIT BOY!" Inuyasha went crashing into the ground and dug himself an Inuyasha size hole about three feet deep.

Kagome made her way over to her friends and then started taking care of their wounds. She was done with Sango and was just about done with Miroku when the subduing spell finally wore off the hanyou.

Inuyasha jumps back up and starts yelling at the miko, "Wench! What was that for?"

Inuyasha takes a step back when Kagome gets up from treating Miroku's wounds and turns heated eyes towards him. Never in his life has he ever seen her eyes like that.

Kagome was so angry that her eyes were changing colors. They were going to a pale blue while she stared at the hanyou, "Inuyasha, leave! I will not stand here and listen to you degrade us like we are worthless. If you remember correctly it is us who fight the Youkai to get the jewel shards. Most the time you are lying on your back on the ground because you never listen to what we are telling you.

"You run in head first without thinking what is around us. While you battle only one Youkai we battle the rest that are there with the first one. One keeps you busy while the rest come after us for the jewel shards that I have.

"You were traveling fast for a reason so why don't you leave before I regret what I am about to do to you if you continue with your mouth."

Inuyasha growled and takes off into the woods. Everyone in the group notices the white eel like Youkai floating around the area, while they all look at Kagome.

Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara notice the pain in her eyes, she grabs her bow and walks out of camp to head into the forest. Sango struggles to get up and yells, "Kagome! Come back! Let me treat your wounds."

Kagome stopped in her tracts and said over her shoulder, "Don't worry about me Sango. I want you all to stay here and rest. There is ramein in my bag so you can eat. I will be back in a little while."

Kagome then turned and left the area, she was just too upset to stay there with the rest of her friends. She needed to cool down before she came back, because if she didn't she was going to purify a certain hanyou. The others knew better than to follow her when she was like this. It will take time for her to calm down and they will give her all the time she needs.

Kagome walked silently through the forest. She stops at a clearing, looking up to the sky. The sun was going down and it looked exceptionally beautiful today, while she thought about everything she has done in her life.

She has matured a lot in the last few years. Traveling between her era and the feudal era has taken its toll on her. She was not doing well in school. She was failing in all her classes and there was no way that she could ever hope to catch up to the rest of her peers.

The main reason for her failing her classes was Inuyasha. He never allowed her time to study, and going back home for tests was almost out of the question. She would have to sit him almost to the other end of the world before he was subdued enough to let her go home. But even when she did he would come through the well to bring her right back to hunt shards.

Kagome sighed when she sat down. She slowly let go of her powers and healed all her wounds. When she was done, she put her barrier back up so no one would notice her increased powers.

That was another thing. Her powers were steadily growing. She has been working hard to get them under control. Her grandfather found some ancient scrolls that told her how to control her miko powers. Kagome was studying them, she almost had them all memorized and grew more in power after completing each scroll, before going to the next.

She came into her miko powers naturally and they matured when she did. She looked up at the sky, closing her eyes. The wind was blowing gently through the area while she tried to relax. The sky looked beautiful today, it was painted in reds, orange, and yellow as the sun was slowly setting.

Kagome got up from her place, she decided to keep moving. She was still too close to that bastard and she knew he was with Kikyou. A lone tear left her eye while she thought about the hanyou. He has betrayed her trust in the worst ways. He thought that he was being clever but she knew what he was up too.

She found him and Kikyou together some time ago and knew that he mated her. He still tries to show her that he loves her, he tries to tell her that they will be mated after Naraku's defeat, but she knew the truth. He did not love her, he never did, all he wanted from her was the jewel and she has been naive enough to think that he could love her.

How wrong she was. It was a hard lesson to learn but she learned it well and has been working hard to make sure that she could take care of herself here in the feudal era. She was finally at a point that she was powerful enough to do that. So, her time was growing short when she will leave Inuyasha and continue this journey alone.

Kagome continued walking through the forest when she stopped, she thought she heard a noise. She was concentrating hard on what she was hearing, when she figured it out a scowl came to her features, she turned and continued walking. She was hearing the sounds of passion, then she heard Kikyou screaming her joy towards the sky.

Kagome closes her eyes and heads deeper into the forest to get away from them. She finally came to a decision on what she wanted to do. _'Inuyasha has betrayed me for the last time. I will no longer put up with his behavior. I deserve better than this and maybe somewhere out there, I will find the one that is meant to be mine for all eternity.'_

Kagome has been walking for about an hour when she detects a powerful aura in the area. She recognizes this aura and starts running through the forest to find him. She might be able to say hello to Rin if she could find where Sesshoumaru was located. She followed his aura, coming into a clearing.

There she saw three Youkai about to attack a much smaller one, who appeared to be injured. She took out three of her arrows and notched them, letting her Reiryoku charge the arrows, she let them all go. They hit their mark and she kills all three Youkai at once.

Kagome hurried over to the very small Youkai, who was standing in the middle of the clearing. When she finally got there, she noticed that it was Sesshoumaru. She falls to her knees in shock, stating in a whisper, "Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru turned tired eyes toward the hanyou's wench, "Why are you here wench?"

Kagome's eyes open wide when she hears what he calls her. _'Why is it that the Youkai from this era don't know how to say my name? Is it that hard for them to remember what it is?'_

She bows her head in frustration, "I only wanted to help. When I noticed that you were in the area I thought that I might be able to visit with Rin for a while. But since she is not here I will leave you alone."

Sesshoumaru was swaying on his feet, he has lost too much blood and his body was about to give out, "Who told you to interfere? I didn't need your help. If Rin was here I would not let her anywhere near a whore like you. Why don't you go back to that half breed!"

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the tiny Youkai Lord, her anger was getting the best of her, "You don't have to be so rude! I was only trying to help someone who was in trouble, apparently, I error on that, thinking that the person would be grateful for my intervention. So, I will leave you on your own. But I do hope that you can handle the Youkai that is approaching this area. He seems to be detecting your presence and that you are hurt."

Kagome continued to eye the Youkai Lord but he would not answer her questions. The more she looked at Sesshoumaru's small form the more curious she got. She finally gave in to her curiosity, "What happened to you Sesshoumaru? Why are you this small?"

Sesshoumaru turned and started to walk away. It was beneath him to answer a ningen. He stopped in his tracks when his body shook with pain. He was losing the battle to stay awake. He gave in to his body's demands and he fell to the ground unconscious.

Kagome watched as the Youkai Lord turned and walked away from her. He never answered her questions. She never expected him to, but still, it was only polite to answer someone when they were talking to you. She gasped when she saw him waver and then fall to the ground.

Kagome quickly moved closer to the fallen Youkai. He was only about 10 inches tall, when she gently reached down and picked him up with both her hands. He was bleeding badly and it looked like his only good arm was broken.

Kagome knew that she could not leave him here in this condition. He may be proud, stubborn, and arrogant but she has sworn to help all those in need, whether they wanted it or not.

She took off the scarf from around her neck and folded it in a way that it will hold the Youkai Lord. She placed Sesshoumaru in the scarf and then she pulled the ends up to see if it would hold him. She was happy when it did what she wanted.

She needed to get back to camp so she could tend to his wounds. She tied the scarf back around her neck and had him hanging just above her breast. It left her hands free just in case she came across anymore Youkai.

She then got up and started to make her way back towards the others. But before she walked out of the clearing, she heard a noise, it sounded like trees crashing around the area. She turns and at the same time was pulling an arrow out of her quiver. She took aim when she noticed an Oni coming out of the forest.

-oOo-

The Oni was tracking the blood of the Youkai Lord of the West. He knew that he was in this area and it was his chance to get rid of him. He came into the clearing and sniffed the area. He could not find the Youkai lord but he did find a lovely female standing there with an arrow pointing straight at him.

He slowly makes his way over to her and asks, "Where is Lord Sesshoumaru? I know that he was here because you reek of his stench."

Kagome huffed, irritated at this Youkai's manners towards her, "That is none of your business. Yes, he was here but now he is gone. He didn't tell me where he was going."

The Oni was angry that he missed his prey, "No matter, if he is gone then you will do nicely. I could use the company of a good-looking female this night." His big hand was moving down to grab Kagome, "Sorry but I'm not available to keep you company," and let her arrow fly. She purified the Oni on the spot, and then she turns and heads back towards her camp.

She fought off several more Youkai during her travels, by the time she got back to camp, it was already dark. Kagome never greeted her friends upon her return, instead she walked straight to her bag. She checked it to make sure she had everything she needed, then she picked it up and started to leave again.

Kagome heard footsteps following behind her and stops in her tracks. She never turned around to address her friends, "I want you all to stay here. I'm going to bathe and I want to be alone. When I return, you will all have to make a decision.

"I will no longer be traveling with Inuyasha. He has made his choice and I'm not in his plans. I will continue to hunt down the shards of the jewel because it is my duty to do so. You are all welcome to come with me or stay with him… the choice… is yours."

Everyone was stunned with what Kagome was saying. They never thought that this day would ever come. Kagome was ready to move on and she wanted to know what they were going to do. They saw when Kagome left the area, heading towards the hot springs.

Sango walked back towards Miroku, wide eyed with tears rolling down her cheeks, she was stunned by what Kagome said to them. Her body was on auto pilot and when she reached Miroku she sat next to him by the fire, "Miroku, why do you think that Kagome is leaving Inuyasha? Do you think she has finally found out that Inuyasha has mated Kikyou?"

Miroku looked on, watching the person he thought of as a little sister, walk back into the forest, his heart feeling heavy for the pain she must be feeling. He took a deep breath to get his composure back, when he heard Sango's question. He turned looking at her with pained eyes, that matched the pain he was feeling in his heart, "Yes Sango, I do believe that our little Kagome has found out the hanyou's secret. I just hope that this doesn't break her."

Sango agreed, she picked up a piece of wood and started to poke the fire to keep it going, she was silently crying tears of pain for her sister who did not deserve to be treated like this. Shippou sat off to the side and curled up next to Kirara, worrying about his mother. He hated to see her get hurt.

-oOo-

Kagome finally got to the hot springs, she sent her aura out to find any Youkai in the area, while she put her bag down. Finding nothing in the immediate area, she started digging in her bag. She got out a small pillow that she used to sleep with. She found a warm fuzzy scarf that she could cover Sesshoumaru with once she was done healing his wounds.

Gently… she took off the scarf from around her neck, placing it on top of the pillow, and gently opened it. Kagome needed to see the extent of his injuries so she started to undress him. She was very careful, first she removed his swords and set them off to the side on the pillow, then his obi. With gentle fingers, she took off his outer kimono and his juban, first removing it from his left side and gently pulling it over his injured right arm, his shoes were next to go and the final piece was his hakama.

Kagome was blushing furiously when she saw his naked body. His chiseled chest and well-formed body was just perfection in her eyes. It was a good thing he was wearing his fudoshi to cover his most private parts or she would never be able to do this. She then inspected his body and ascertained that his arm was indeed broken. It was just as she thought, he could not defend himself, his arm was broken in two places and he could not hold his sword, but most of all he could not hunt to nourish himself.

She got two bowls and filled them with warm water, putting peroxide in one of the bowls to help clean his wounds. She picked him up gently in the palm of her hand. She then puts her hand, with him in it, into the larger bowl, then slowly started to clean his wounds with a soft cloth, which she dipped into the peroxide. It did not take that long for her to clean his wounds and get the blood out of his hair. When she was done she then dried him off and placed him back on the pillow.

Kagome rubbed her eyes, she was tired but she had to see if she could heal his wounds and his broken arm. For years now Kagome has been working on controlling her powers. With Kaede's help and the scrolls her Jii-san gave her, she has managed to do it and she has grown even more powerful. She has kept it a secret from Inuyasha because she did not want any problems with the hanyou. He was hard enough to deal with and if he knew that she was more powerful than he was they would be fighting each other.

Her healing powers were her greatest asset. She looked at Sesshoumaru and could not help but feel guilty for him losing his arm. It was her fault that he lost it. If she did not give Tetsusaiga to Inuyasha then he would not have cut his arm off.

Kagome gathered her powers and looked for the purest part of her soul. From the ancient scrolls, she read came the power to heal one and all. By crying two tears it will allow the body of the injured person to absorb her powers. This will allow them to heal faster and regain their strength.

Two tears came out of her eyes, these tears held power and were blue in color, then she leaned over Sesshoumaru. They dropped from her cheeks and landed on Sesshoumaru's chest.

The tears started to do their job when they engulfed Sesshoumaru's body in a golden light and started to heal his wounds. Kagome continued to watch, but her eyes opened wide when she noticed that the tears also healed his left arm and it was returned to its owner.

Kagome gave a gentle smile, she never expected for her tears to rejuvenate his arm. Once his healing was done, she looked closer and inspected his arms. His broken arm was now healed, then she took her finger and gently touched his left arm. It was real, it has grown back and it looked just like his other one, right down to the markings that he had. He was now whole, then she covered him with the warm fuzzy scarf that she got out of her bag.

Once Kagome was assured that Sesshoumaru was resting comfortably, she turned and got out her bathing supplies, wanting desperately to take a bath. It has been a very long day and she needed to get the dirt off her body. Plus, when she looked down she saw the state of her clothes. They were almost non-existent, her shirt was torn to shreds, her skirt was not much better as one side was ripped up to her hips.

Once she was done bathing she placed a powerful barrier around the area to make sure that no one would attack her. It was now time for her to change her clothes. She did not need to wear her uniform anymore. It did not allow her to fight effectively, she took out some cargo pants and put them on. She threw on a tank top and pulled her hair back into a high ponytail to keep it out of the way. She then sat against a tree and drifted off to sleep.

-oOo-

Kagome woke when the sun was rising over the horizon. Stretching her tired body, she turned and looked at her patient. Sesshoumaru was looking better this morning. She could tell that his body worked all through the night to recover from his injuries. She took her bow and quiver full of arrows, and headed into the forest. Sesshoumaru needed to eat to regain his strength and once he was awake, she will leave him alone. She knew that she was not wanted so why stay.

She came back an hour later with a plump rabbit. She had stopped by her packs camp and left several rabbits for them to eat. She had cleaned them and put them on the fire to roast and then went to take care of Sesshoumaru.

Starting a fire of her own, she set out to clean her catch. She grabbed a bowl out of her bag, then took the heart and liver and cut it into small pieces. She also cut up some of the meat and put some blood into the bowl and set it next to Sesshoumaru. She knew that he ate raw meat because it was his nature. Over the years, she has learned a lot about Youkai. Her Jii-san found many old scrolls in the shrine and let her read them to gain the knowledge.

She got an idea to give him some privacy when he woke up. She got several long sticks, putting them together at one end, she tied them at the top with a piece of rope. She then opened them forming a tri-pod, and stood them up over Sesshoumaru's sleeping form. Putting a towel around it, she fashioned a teepee, like she has read so much about. This will allow Sesshoumaru to have some privacy. She went back to the fire and tended to her morning meal.

-oOo-

This is the end to the second chapter. I am happy that all of you are enjoying the story. Now all of you know how Kagome found Sesshoumaru when they were not near. Kagome wandered far to calm down from what happened. She has grown powerful with her training. But her adventure is now starting.

Follow me in the next chapter when you learn what Sesshoumaru is going to do. If he will leave the miko or join her in her quest. What will her friends do? Follow her or stay with Inuyasha? So many possibilities.

Until the next time!

Jani


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Sesshoumaru's nose was twitching from side to side, trying to determine where he was located, when he caught the scent of fresh blood. Slowly his mind starts working faster while his breathing increased. He was coming out of his rejuvenating sleep and felt the aches and pains that his body was in.

He noticed that he was laying on something soft. Raising his hands up, he started to rub his eyes with his palms to get them into focus. He stopped this motion when he felt that something was not right. He quickly pulled his hands away from his face, his eyes opening wide, when he observed that he now has two hands.

He looked at his left arm, inspecting the new appendage. He was wondering when he grew it back. He sits up and notices a makeshift tent around him, it was not a normal tent that he was familiar with so he was wondering who helped him. To his right there was fresh meat that was left there for him to eat.

His stomach growled in hunger, slowly getting up, he forces his tired body to stand and walk over to his food. He was breathing hard just from that small movement, he never noticed that he was this weak. He looked at his food and his eyes go red, his beast was coming forth to feed. He devoured the meal within minutes and then noticed some water in a medium bowl for him to wash up.

When he was done washing up, he noticed for the first time that he was only wearing his fudoshi, he growled and quickly got dressed. All his weapons were there, his clothes were also clean and repaired. He was wondering who has helped him, he remembered fighting against Naraku's incarnations and that they cast this spell over him.

He remembered fighting for his life against three Youkai that wanted to kill him but then he can't remember much of what happened to him. Once he looked presentable he walks out of the tent, that's when he noticed that the half breeds wench was sitting by the fire. She was just finishing breakfast and was cleaning up the area.

-oOo-

Kagome turned when she felt that Sesshoumaru was up and about. "Good morning Sesshoumaru. How are you feeling this morning?"

"I'm fine miko. Did you heal my wounds?"

"Yes, I did. Now that you are healed I will take my leave." She stated in a neutral voice to the Youkai Lord, while she took down the teepee she set up for him and started to put her things away in her bag.

Sesshoumaru was confused he didn't understand why she would help him of all people, "Why would you take the time to heal my wounds? Why would you help your enemy?"

Kagome looked at the Youkai lord, saying, "You are not my enemy Sesshoumaru, you never were. Plus, it is my duty to help those who are injured. I'm a miko, and a miko is bound by her oath to help everyone in need. I don't care if they are Youkai, hanyou, or ningen."

"I didn't need your help to heal. My body would have healed on its own. But now I am indebted to you, so name your reward for helping me." Sesshoumaru snorted, a dissatisfied look fell over his features, a clear sign that he was not happy with his current situation.

Kagome turned her face away from Sesshoumaru, and felt hurt. She didn't help him just so she could get rewarded. She helped him because it was the right thing to do. Plus, in all honesty she could not leave him there to die.

She continued to gather her things, saying in a low voice, "You owe me nothing. I don't want payment or any special favors from you. A simple thank you will do for me. But since I know that will never happen I will leave you here. There are more jewel shards that I have to collect and my friends must make a choice." Kagome got up in a huff, turned and started walking towards her friends.

Sesshoumaru was growing angry with her words. He was honored bound to repay her for her aid, but as fast as his anger grew it left when he heard her last comment. "What choice does your pack have to make miko?"

Kagome stopped walking, she did not turn around, but she did answer his question, "I will no longer travel with Inuyasha. They have to make a choice if they are staying with him or coming with me." She then left the clearing, leaving the Youkai lord to his own thoughts.

Now Sesshoumaru was curious about why she was leaving the hanyou. He knew that the little miko was loyal to a fault but to hear that she was no longer traveling with the half breed surprised him. So, he followed. He knew he could not stay out here on his own. He could not summon Ah-Un because the dragon was protecting Rin and she was more important now.

Naraku made sure that when he shrunk him in size his powers were also reduced. He will never be able to fight off a lower level Youkai and he knew it, though he would never admit it out loud to anyone. Even the cloud that he formed around his feet did not give him the necessary height to fly. Even if he could achieve that height the wind will knock him back down towards the lands. It was hard enough to stay on his cloud in his normal form let alone this size.

Sesshoumaru found himself not being able to keep up with the miko. So, he formed his Youkai cloud under his feet and took off after her. He wanted to remain as close as possible to the group to find out what is going on.

-oOo-

When Kagome reached the campsite, where her friends were located, she noticed that everyone was up and waiting for her. The camp site was taken apart, the clearing was clean of debris, when her friends stood to greet her and said in unison, "We are going with you."

Kagome smiled and nodded. She now had a pack to take care of, her friends were abandoning the hanyou for his ways. She felt that her pack was very small now, but that did not mean they were any less effective.

Before heading out Kagome checked Sango's and Miroku's wounds to make sure that they healed all the way. She was happy when she noticed that there were no scars left.

She stood, looking around the area to make sure that they had everything. The only one missing was Inuyasha and when he came back he will find himself alone with his precious Kikyou. He now had his chance to live his life with the dead bitch.

Kagome turned and headed north. She was sensing three shards in that direction, her pack was now following her as their new leader, and alpha female.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru followed as best he could. He was grateful that they were moving slowly and not at the speed of the hanyou or he would not be able to keep up. He would alternate between running and using his youki cloud to keep up. He was observing the little miko that was now the alpha of the pack. She was a good leader, she made sure that the group stayed together while they traveled. She tended to the kits needs, making sure that he ate when they stopped and carried him on her shoulder when he was too tired to walk.

He saw her in the battles to get the jewel shards back from the Youkai that thought they should keep them. They were very surprised when the little miko demanded that the shards be handed over or it would be their death. She gave them a choice before she was forced to purify them.

He was very surprised at the level of her knowledge and power. He watched as the group would stop to look at the Youkai that had the shards. The miko could determine how powerful the Youkai was and what it was going to take to bring it down. They would come up with a battle plan and then carry it out. Everyone knew what they needed to do and to his surprise their battles were very short, compared to the ones that the hanyou fought to get the shards back.

It was apparent that she was keeping her powers a secret even from her companions. After the first battle, they expressed their opinion on her new-found powers and she had to sit down and explain her reasons for keeping them hidden, they all nodded, understanding her logic.

The hanyou was a difficult person to deal with and he was very aggressive towards anyone that was stronger than him. He would perceive it as someone challenging him for his position as alpha. But the Inu hanyou was stupid enough not to realize that he was not the alpha, it was Kagome who was the true alpha and they all followed her lead. After all, Inuyasha was seeking the jewel so he could be a full Youkai and become stronger.

It was getting to be late in the day when they all stopped for the night. Kagome took her bow and went into the forest to hunt. She came back 30 minutes later with a small boar and Sango got busy cleaning and putting it on the fire to roast.

Kagome turned her attention to Sango, saying, "Sango, do not get rid of the heart and liver. Make sure we keep it in some blood because we might need it for later."

Sango didn't understand what was going on but she complied with Kagome's wishes. She made sure that she kept the liver and heart. The boar, though small, was still a good size, it would feed all of them for a couple of days.

Kagome had a trick that she used to make sure that the meat stayed fresh until they cooked it. That way they did not have to hunt for their meal again. They wrapped the extra meat in the hide of the pig and Kagome cast a spell over it to preserve it.

Kagome stood up and looked around the area, she noticed that Sesshoumaru has been following her all day. She was wondering why he was following her and decided to go into the forest to see if he followed. To her delight, he did, moving far enough away from her campsite, to insure their privacy, she sat down against a tree. She waited patiently for Sesshoumaru to come closer, when she sensed him nearby. "Sesshoumaru, I know that you are there so why don't you come out into the open."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, he was hiding his scent and aura so no one could detect him in the area but the little miko knew he was there. He stepped out of the forest to face her. He walks with an air of elegance towards the miko, then sits down in front of her and waits. She did not disappoint when he heard her say, "Why are you following us Sesshoumaru? I thought that you didn't want anything to do with me?"

Sesshoumaru huffed, clearly showing his irritation at not being addressed properly, "That is Lord Sesshoumaru to you wench, plus I owe you a debt and until that is paid I will not leave."

The sparkle went out of Kagome's eyes when she heard his statement to her, then she turned away from him. She sighed, saying, "You owe me nothing Lord Sesshoumaru. I want nothing from you."

Sesshoumaru snarled, what was this wench implying? That he would not reward her for helping him? It was the Youkai way to pay for such help, even if she didn't want it from him, "Are you trying to say that I do not pay my debts wench?"

Kagome became angry at the way he spoke to her, she was tired of these Youkai calling her a wench when they never even knew her, "MY NAME IS KAGOME! KA-GO-ME! It's not wench, bitch, miko, ningen, whore, or anything else you Youkai can come up with. Is my name so damn hard to say that you all refuse to use it?"

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest, a clear indication that he was about to say something to the little miko that will hurt her terribly, "It is not in our nature to recognize those below us."

That hurt! Kagome didn't know that such a simple statement would hurt her that much. Tears started to form in her eyes but she will not let them fall, she will not cry in front of Sesshoumaru, "Then why are you here?"

Kagome waited for her answer and when he did not respond to her question, she then said the one thing that will get rid of him, "Since you seem to have swallowed your tongue, I release you from your debt to me. Now you have no reason to stay."

Kagome looked away from the Youkai Lord and she closed her eyes. She did not need this right now. He wanted to keep his honor and pay her for healing him, but that is not what she wanted. All she wanted was a simple thank you from him but he did not understand that, and she was stubborn enough not to tell him again what she wanted as payment.

Sesshoumaru was shocked, the wench said the one thing that released him from his debt to her. Now he didn't have a reason to stay in her company. He thought about what he wanted to do, he needed to stay with someone that could provide him with protection while he was this size, but he didn't want to lower his guard.

Maybe if he asked her some questions she will let him travel with her until he could figure out how to break this spell that was on him. It sounded like a solid plan, he sighed asking, "I want to know why you are no longer traveling with the half breed."

That statement took Kagome by surprise, she turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru and said, "Your brother," Sesshoumaru snarled at that comment, "Half-brother!" Kagome sighed and tried to continue, "Correction, your half-brother has made his choice. He has chosen a corpse miko as his mate and I will not stand in his way. He is free to be happy, I will continue with my duty and collect the rest of the jewel shards. When I'm done collecting them I will go home."

Sesshoumaru thought about what he heard and he had a proposal for her, "Miko, since you are no longer traveling with the half breed, I want to join your group."

Kagome's head snapped back, eyeing the little Youkai in front of her. Now she was curious about why he wanted to stay. "What is your true reason for following me? And who did this to you?"

Sesshoumaru did not want to discuss how he got to be this way but if it will allow him to travel with her then he will answer her questions this one time, "Naraku did this. He wants me dead because I represent a threat to him. He knows that I'm after him and when I find him I will destroy him. As for the reason, why I'm joining you, that is my business."

Kagome thought as much, she had a hunch that Naraku was behind him being so small, but she was irritated that he will not tell her why he wanted to join them.

She looked at him and tried to figure out what kind of spell this was, "This is a very powerful spell. I have never read about anything like this before. I suggest that we head back to camp and see if Miroku knows how to break this spell or knows of anyone that can break it."

Sesshoumaru agreed with her plans when the miko stood. Kagome looked down at Sesshoumaru, she decided that they can move faster if she carried him. She bent down picking him up, and placed him on her shoulder. Before he protested she stated, "With you riding on my shoulder we can move faster. I know for a fact that your powers have been diminished, you cannot defeat your enemy in your present form. Plus, I noticed that you were struggling to keep up with us even though we were moving slower than usual."

Sesshoumaru eyes opened wide in shock, "You knew that I was following you all day?"

Kagome continued walking and stated, "Yes, I knew that you were following us and I slowed down the pace so you could keep up. You know it's not a weakness if you admit that you need help."

Sesshoumaru huffed, he did not need anyone's help, but he saw the logic of her words, and remained quiet while he rode on her shoulder. When they got back to camp, Kagome walked over to the fire and sat down. She saw everyone's eyes opened wide and the shock that came over their features. The Youkai Lord then jumped off Kagome's shoulder, he landed next to her and sat down.

Kagome looked at her friends, all of them were shocked out of their mind in finding that Sesshoumaru was this small, "Miroku, do you know of a way to break the spell that has been placed on Lord Sesshoumaru? And if you can't break it do you know of anyone that can break this spell?"

Sesshoumaru was shocked when he heard the miko call him by his title. She disrespected him when they were alone but she showed him the highest respect when addressing her pack. This he did not understand but he will have time to get to know this little miko before he left her pack.

Miroku was shocked when he saw Kagome coming back with a very small Sesshoumaru riding on her shoulder. He was brought out of his shock when he heard her question. He studied the Youkai Lord for a few minutes, shaking his head to clear his mind, he stated, "No Lady Kagome, I have not seen anything like this before, nor do I know of anyone that can reverse such a curse."

Kagome thought for a few minutes on her options, then she concluded, "If you don't know how to break this spell then I have to return home. My Jii-san might have a scroll that will explain how to break it. There are no more jewel shards in this area so we can return to Edo."

The group agreed, they got three shards today. That is more shards in one day than they got in the last three months with Inuyasha. When Kagome detected a jewel shard they moved fast. But before they attacked they got a plan together on how they were going to get it away from the Youkai. Once that was done, everyone knew what they needed to do and they did not waste any time in getting the shard. It took them less time to fight and defeat the Youkai than it did when Inuyasha was with them.

They were all sitting around the fire talking, when Kagome got to her feet, bringing her bow up and notching an arrow in the process. She was scanning the area around them for the threat. The others followed suit and got ready to fight.

Sesshoumaru was back on Kagome's shoulder while he sniffed the air. A familiar stench reaching his nose, "The half breed comes." Everyone heard his words and got ready. They knew there will be a confrontation between Inuyasha and Kagome but they didn't know if Kikyou was with him. If she was then she was the real threat to Kagome and they will protect her no matter what.

A few minutes later Inuyasha came crashing into their campsite with Kikyou on his back. They could tell that he was angry, he lowered corpse miko to the ground and yelled, "What the fuck wench! Why did you and the others leave without me?"

Kagome narrowed her eyes at the hanyou, lowering her weapon, "We have jewel shards to find Inuyasha. We couldn't wait for you to get done screwing the corpse, so we left on our own."

Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara moved away from their friend. It was not often that she cursed but when she did, it was a clear indication that she was mad and they did not want to be blasted. They all learned that lesson the hard way, to keep their distance when she is in this state.

Inuyasha growled, not happy with the turn of events, "Watch your mouth bitch! She has a name!"

Kagome looked at the Inu hanyou with heated eyes, crossing her arms over her chest, she stated in a menacing voice, "So she has, well it doesn't matter to me what her name is. I can use whatever name I want, the same way you speak to me. I will no longer travel with you Inuyasha, the others have made their choice to leave you as well, so you and your corpse can leave."

Inuyasha was flexing his claws, there was no way he was going to let his shard detector leave him now. "There is no way that I will allow that. I am alpha of this pack and you all do as I say. Kikyou can't detect the jewel shards as well as you can so you are still needed to find the shards. Remember it was your fault that the jewel was broken in the first place and it's your job to find them."

"No Inuyasha, you are no longer the alpha of this group. You made your choice and it does not include me or the others. Plus, I know what my responsibilities are, I don't need you to throw that in my face every time you don't get your way like a two-year-old. Kami, Shippou is more mature than you are." Kagome was not about to back down to Inuyasha and she was not going to let him hurt her friends.

Inuyasha could not believe what he was hearing, he turned towards the other two ningens and stated, "Sango, Miroku, come on we're leaving."

Sango looked over to Miroku while Miroku looked at her. Then they both turned their attention towards the hanyou, then Miroku spoke for both, "No Inuyasha, we have chosen to leave you and travel with the Lady Kagome. She is and always has been the true alpha of this pack since I have joined with you. She lets you think that you are alpha, but the truth of the matter is that she has been in control of this pack since the beginning."

Inuyasha could not believe his ears, "What the Fuck! She has never been alpha of this pack! I'm always the one to fight the Youkai with the jewel shards. That wench was never powerful enough to do that."

Miroku looked at Kagome out of the corner of his eye. He knew that Inuyasha has hurt Kagome with his words. "No Inuyasha, you may think that you were in control but it was always Kagome who got rid of the Youkai that were attacking. You were usually on the ground trying to catch your breath or knocked unconscious when Kagome would purify them."

Inuyasha was getting angrier by the minute when he heard Miroku's words, _'There is no way that the wench has that much power. She is the one that always has to be protected and saved every day.'_

"Feh, I don't believe you Monk. That wench has always been the weak link in this group and you know it. She is the one that is always attacked. I always go in and save her ass because she can't protect herself. So, what makes you think that she is powerful enough to be alpha? The only one who is powerful enough to be the alpha bitch of this pack is Kikyou. Now she is a true priestess with great powers." Inuyasha waited for Miroku to answer his question, but what he heard made him jump and then he turned to face Kagome.

Kagome had enough. She was tired of being compared to Kikyou, "I am not KIKYOU YOU BASTARD! I AM KAGOME! KA-GO-ME! Can you get that through that thick skull of yours? I'm not weak nor have I ever been. You see what I allow you to see because you are not man enough to take who I am."

"Bitch! I wasn't talking to you! Kikyou is more powerful than you will ever be, you are nowhere near her level."

Kagome's anger was getting out of control but no matter how angry she got she would never hurt her friends. Her body started to glow, her aura became clearly visible and was moving around her body in circles. Her body was engulfed with the force of her powers, and then she opened her eyes to look at the half breed.

Inuyasha had to take a step back when he noticed the power that Kagome was letting go. It hurt to be near her while he looked around the clearing. Kikyou was standing back while she watched what was going on. Shippou was standing next to Kirara and they were not affected by what Kagome was doing.

Inuyasha looked at his hands and noticed how red they were getting; she was burning them with her Reiryoku and he was not happy. Then he heard her say, "You forget Inuyasha that the corpse only walks these lands because she still has a piece of my soul. What do you think will happen if I call it back to me?"

Inuyasha looked up and snarled, "You wouldn't dare!"

"Don't push me Inuyasha. I had enough of you humiliating me in front of everyone. I want you to leave. You are not welcomed here in my pack, go live the life that you are dreaming of with that slut." Kagome slowly pulled her powers back and stood her ground. She was still on the defensive because Inuyasha was so unpredictable.

Inuyasha snarled at Kagome's words when he noticed something on Kagome's shoulder, he saw his hated half-brother sitting there. His eyes opened wide, _'How could I have missed his stench, I bet he is the one responsible for my pack leaving me.'_ he snarled, "Sesshoumaru! So, you are the one behind my pack leaving! You bastard! Don't you have your own pack? Why do you have to come and take mine?"

Before Sesshoumaru could answer Kagome answered for him, "No, Lord Sesshoumaru being here has nothing to do with what happened. He came to ask some questions and he is a guest in my pack. You on the other hand are not welcomed!"

Inuyasha was stunned by Kagome's words, never in the time that he has known her has he ever heard her talking this way. "What the fuck Kagome… You leave me to go with that bastard?"

Inuyasha had to take a step back when he noticed Kagome's anger come forth. Her aura grew with power once again and felt the bite of her Reiryoku. To his surprise his brother remained on her shoulder, unaffected by her powers.

Kikyou was standing behind Inuyasha watching everything. It was obvious to her that her reincarnation decided to go off on her own and is now with Inuyasha's older half-brother. She could see the spell that was cast on him, she smirked, knowing what this spell did she figured that it was Naraku who put this curse on Inuyasha's brother.

She stepped up next to Inuyasha and whispered into his ear, "Inuyasha, if you could kill your brother in his weakened state then you will have all of his wealth. You will become Lord of the West as is your birth right."

Inuyasha heard Kikyou's words, it seemed to be weaving a spell on him, causing him to pull Tetsusaiga from his sheath. He went after Sesshoumaru, who was still on Kagome's shoulder, if he killed her with his brother, oh well, he would just be returning Kikyou's soul to her.

Kagome's heard what Kikyou said, her eyes started to change colors. The rest of her friends got out of the way when they saw what was about to happen. When Inuyasha got closer to Kagome she released a ball of her Reiryoku that hit him in the chest. It purified his Youkai for the moment and he turned into his ningen form.

Inuyasha hit the ground hard, he groaned and got up on hands and knees. When he opened his eyes, he saw black pooling around his shoulders, he was in shock. He quickly looked at his hands and noticed that he no longer had claws and when he ran his tongue along his teeth his fangs were gone as well.

He was terrified when he finally realized what happened, he was in his ningen form. He cursed under his breath, knowing that he was weak in this form and that the Tetsusaiga will not transform for him while he was this way. But even worse than that, he could not kill his brother now.

He looked up when he heard, "You are lucky that I didn't purify all of your Youkai Inuyasha. I will not allow you to hurt Lord Sesshoumaru. As long as he is my guest, in my pack, I will protect him. Now leave before my generosity runs out and I KILL you both."

Inuyasha quickly sheathed his sword, he turned and grabbed Kikyou, leaving the area. He was not about to let Kagome hurt his mate and disappeared into the forest. Kagome tracked them until they were far enough away and then relaxed.

Kagome then turned towards her friends, "We leave in the morning for Edo, so we all need to get some sleep." Everyone agreed, the evening meal was finally done and they all sat down to eat. When they were done and the area was cleaned, Kagome looked at Miroku asking, "Miroku may I have some of your ofuda's please."

Miroku smiled one of his more perfect lecherous smiles, "Why of course Lady Kagome, may I ask why you want them?" He then stepped forward and gave her the ofuda she asked for.

"I want to put a barrier around the area so we can all rest comfortably." Kagome stated while she was concentrating on her spell, Miroku heard her words and tried to offer his services, "Oh, then allow me to put one up for you Lady Kagome." His eyes opened wide when he noticed what she was doing.

Kagome cast her spell on the ofuda, then it left her hand and went to several trees around the area. Once in place they glowed with power and a barrier went up. Miroku was shocked; he never thought that Kagome could put up such a powerful barrier. It was more powerful than his own.

Kagome looked at her handy work, stating, "No, that won't be necessary Miroku, I think this barrier will do." Miroku just numbly nodded his agreement, he turned and went towards Sango. You could see the sadness in his eyes at not being able to help his alpha in such a simple task. But he had to admit that she was very powerful. He finally made it to sit down by Sango.

They all found their spots, and got ready to go to bed. Kagome went over to her bag and pulled her pillow out, she laid it on the ground next to where Sesshoumaru was sitting up against a tree, "Here Sesshoumaru, this will be more comfortable for you to sleep on."

Sesshoumaru looked at the pillow that he was laying on this morning, it was comfortable but he was a Youkai and he did not need such luxuries to sleep. He turned his head away from the miko, not responding to her statement. He will not need it to sleep this night.

Kagome huffed at what the Youkai Lord did. She then pulled the pillow over to the tree she has picked to sleep under. _'If he wants to sleep on this pillow he must get up and move over to where I'm located. If he can be rude then so can I.'_

After everyone fell asleep Sesshoumaru noticed that for some reason the ground was harder than he remembered and the bark on the tree hurt his back. He looked around and observed that everyone was asleep.

He noticed that the pillow was still by the miko, she did not put it away, so he decided that he would use the nice soft pillow to lay on for the night. He got up and made his way towards it. It was soft and comfortable to sleep on and he did not see any problems with using something that was available to him while he laid down. It did not take him long to fall asleep on his comfortable bed.

Kagome smiled when she saw what Sesshoumaru did. He was a stubborn individual but she guessed that was just the way he was, she closed her eyes and went to sleep.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Inuyasha thought that just because he bossed everyone around that he was alpha of the pack. He got a reality check when his pack set him straight on who was alpha of the pack.

Sesshoumaru, being the ever stubborn Daiyoukai that he is, learned a valuable lesson this day, never take the little miko for granted. She was a powerful female and will stand her ground to protect those with her, even from the hanyou.

Join me in the next chapter when Sesshoumaru learns a valuable lesson on the true meaning of power and what it takes to have it.

Until the next time

Jani!


	4. Chapter 4

In the morning Sesshoumaru found himself being carried while the pack was on the move. Never in his life has he slept so long. He wondered why and took a deep breath. The scent of the miko reached his nose and it relaxed him. That scent has been with him all night and it was very relaxing to him. For the first time in his life his beast was at peace and it was confusing to him. He wondered why the wenches scent would sooth him so much.

He looked up and noticed that it was mid-morning. He cursed under his breath, he moved and got on Kagome's shoulder while they traveled.

Kagome smiled when she saw Sesshoumaru waking up. She was carrying him on the pillow while they moved through the area. They were up just before dawn and decided to get going. There were Youkai in the area and they did not want to fight first thing in the morning.

Sango grabbed the sleeping kit and Miroku took Kirara. She grabbed Sesshoumaru, still on the pillow, and set off toward Kaede's village. They have been walking for a while now when they decided to stop for lunch.

Sesshoumaru jumped from Kagome's shoulder, landing on the ground in front of her, he turned heated eyes towards the miko, asking, "Why did you not awaken this Sesshoumaru when you were ready to move out?"

Kagome looked down with a raised eyebrow in amusement, "Your aura was very powerful. It was still healing your body of the injuries you received. I healed most your injuries but your body must work to restore your strength."

Sesshoumaru heard what she was saying, and he was not happy. He should have noticed that he was being moved but that was not the case. He must have been drained of energy if he slept through all of that. He turned and went into the forest. He needed some time to think, away from the confusing miko.

Kagome watched Sesshoumaru leave the area. She knew he felt confused because he didn't wake up when they started moving. But what he didn't know was that when she was holding the pillow close to her body he rolled over in his sleep and growled gently. She noticed his nose twitching, from side to side. Then he went still, and snuggled deeper into the pillow and continued to sleep.

She was positive that he has never slept so well in his life. It felt good to know that her scent gave him some measure of comfort. Inuyasha has always told her that her scent was irritating to his sensitive nose, so this was a nice feeling.

But then all too soon Kagome remembered that he will never be interested in her. She was a ningen and not his equal. He will not say her name because it was beneath him. She turned away from her group and looked up at the sky.

The day was beautiful; the sky was a pale blue and there were clouds moving lazily across it. The birds were flying overhead searching for prey. But then Kagome took a good look at the birds, something did not seem right about them.

Kagome noticed that the birds were circling around the area, like they were looking for something. She narrowed her eyes when she observed the Saimyosho that were flying in between the birds. She grabbed her bow and quiver and takes off to where Sesshoumaru was is located in the forest.

-oOo-

Naraku was not in a good mood this morning, his incardination left before Sesshoumaru was destroyed, and now he has no idea where he was located. He called Kanna over to him, wanting to see what happened to Sesshoumaru, "Kanna, show me Lord Sesshoumaru."

Kanna held up her mirror so he could look into it. The mirror started to swirl as a picture was forming.

Naraku looked to see Sesshoumaru riding on the miko's shoulder. That little wench has managed to heal Sesshoumaru's wounds and he was currently traveling with her. He noticed right away that Inuyasha was no longer with the wench, which put an evil smile on his face. She was now vulnerable to his attacks since the hanyou was not there to protect her.

He turned his heated eyes towards his incardination and snarled, "You fools! You left before Sesshoumaru was killed and now the miko that travels with Inuyasha has managed to treat his wounds and healed him. He is still alive though I do see that the curse is still in place."

Naraku thought about what to do and summoned a Saimyosho. When it arrived, he told it what he wanted them to do. The Saimyosho understood his orders and took off. Then he says, "The Saimyosho should be able to handle this job. I want you three to go after the little miko, she is unprotected now that Inuyasha is out of the picture. I want her brought back here alive, do you understand me?"

Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi quickly bowed, they beat a hasty retreat, and left Naraku to his thoughts. At least they were all still alive. He could have killed them all for not making sure that Sesshoumaru died last night.

Naraku was pacing around in his room. Soon Sesshoumaru will be dead and that miko will be under his control, with her powers and the jewel he will be the most powerful Youkai in all the lands. He will rule supreme as Lord and the little miko will be by his side while she gives him powerful heirs. He was no fool, he noticed the increase in her powers and if her powers continued to grow then the one to mate her will be very powerful.

He gave an evil laughter, walking over to the window he looked out towards the horizon, _'Soon, very soon little miko you will be mine and these lands will finally be mine as well.'_ He continued looking out the window, while he planned the future of his lands.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was walking through the forest. He was very confused. First it was the spell that was placed on him, somehow his enemy got through his defenses to attack him personally, something that has never happened. The curse also greatly reduced his powers. His powers should not be affected by his height but it was.

Sesshoumaru came into a clearing, he opened his senses to make sure that no one was in the area. Satisfied that he was alone he walked up to a tree and sat down. He closed his eyes to relax and continued thinking. _'I have read something about a spell where you could reduce your enemy to a smaller size. But I never read of any spells that can take away their powers. This only means that Naraku has found a sorcerer and he was able to give him a spell that can bind my powers. But he could not bind all of it, that's why I can still use some of it.'_

Sesshoumaru's senses were going wild when he searched the area for the danger. He looked up into the sky and saw carrion crows coming in for an attack. He leaped out of the way when the birds came after him. He took his whip and slashed his enemy. He was beheading the crows as they continued to attack him.

Sesshoumaru was moving fast defending himself. He took Tokijin out of its sheath and began to send his attacks towards them. He was out numbered but he battled fiercely. He was knocked to the ground and 5 carrion crows were coming in for the final kill.

But before the birds could even get close to him an arrow was fired and it landed in the ground near him. It formed a barrier around his body, the birds that were attacking him were purified when they hit it.

-oOo-

Kagome came rushing out of the forest when she saw the crows attacking Sesshoumaru. She stood there and watched him battle. He was a very skillful fighter and she did not want to interfere if he could handle these small fries. But when she saw him go down she acted quickly. She notched her arrow and let it go, it flew true against her enemies.

It landed right in front of Sesshoumaru's fallen form, while it formed a barrier around his body. Once he was protected she aimed another arrow at the center of the flock and let it go. That arrow held power and it purified all the crows in the area. She even got the Saimyosho that were with them.

Kagome walked over to Sesshoumaru and removed the arrow from the ground, bringing down the barrier that was around his body. She puts the arrow back in her quiver, asking, "Are you all right Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru was still breathing hard when he looked at the little miko. He huffed, clearly irritated at his circumstance, "This Sesshoumaru is fine. I did not need your help."

Kagome sighed, saying, "Would it kill you to say thank you for once in your long life?"

Sesshoumaru just huffed and got up off the ground, putting his sword back in its sheath. When he looked for the wench he found her walking back towards their camp. He formed his Youki cloud under his feet, lifted off ground, and followed her. When he was flying next to her and asked, "Why did you come to my aid?"

Kagome was irritated, _'Kami! The next time I see that he is in trouble I won't even bother to step in and help him. Maybe then he will realize that he is not the all-powerful Lord of the West.'_

She continued walking when she felt that Sesshoumaru was following her. She heard his question and she didn't want to answer. But the mannerisms instilled in her would not let her be rude, "I noticed the Saimyosho flying with the flock of birds. I figured that Naraku sent another attack to get rid of you and came to see if you were all right.

"When I got there, you were doing very well fighting off those birds so I didn't interfere. But when you got hit and they were about to attack, I was not about to let you get hurt. For now, you are a part of my pack and it's my responsibility to protect you."

Sesshoumaru was surprised to hear her speak in such a way. She was acting like a true alpha that protects all those that are with her pack. The alpha of the Inu Youkai clan protects his pack from harm, be they part of the clan or their guest. They are responsible for their safety because if anything happens to them then it would be looked down upon the leader.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome remained quiet while they traveled back to the rest of their group. When they got there Sesshoumaru went to sit by a tree to relax while Kagome went over to Sango and asked, "Sango, where did you put the heart and liver?"

Sango turned to her friend when she heard her question and answered, "It's over there with the rest of the meat. Why do you want them? You don't eat the liver or the heart."

Kagome looked at Sango with a raised eyebrow, stating, "I'm surprised that you don't know why I would want them. The heart and liver contain the most vitamins; it is also the choice meat in a kill. Youkai give this to their guest as a form of peace offering between clans."

Sango was shocked to hear this, "Kagome, how do you know all of this? I have never been taught what a Youkai clan does."

Kagome continued to cut up the heart and liver, while she replied back to her sister, "My Jii-san gave me a scroll that described Youkai customs, depending on the Youkai species there are difference customs for them. But when it comes to a fresh kill, all the Youkai agree on this custom. I know many of their customs and it has helped me to understand the Youkai a little better."

Sango didn't know that Kagome was a wealth of knowledge, she learned something new from her, and continued to get the lunch ready.

Kagome took the heart and liver and put it in a bowl. She then took the bowl and walked over to Sesshoumaru. When she got to his location she kneeled in front of him and offered him the bowl containing the heart and liver.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the little miko came over to him. He sat up straight when he smelled blood. His eyebrow went up when he saw her kneeling in front of him and offered him what was in the bowl.

His eyes opened wider when he noticed that it was the heart and liver of a kill. He looked up at her when he heard her say the ritual words. "I offer you the heart and liver of this fresh kill as it is my right as alpha of my pack. I hope that it will nourish you and give you strength to fight your enemies."

Kagome placed the bowl on the ground, then sat back and waited. She wanted to see what Sesshoumaru was going to do now. She noticed when his eyes opened wide. He never expected for her to know this ritual. If he accepted what she gave him then he would consider her an equal, if he chose to reject it, she was within her right to ask him to leave her protection because it would be an insult to the alpha.

Sesshoumaru was trying to decide on what to do. He wanted to reject the offer but he still wanted to travel with the interesting miko that seemed to know Youkai customs. He decided to do the most un-Sesshoumaru thing and accepted the offer, "I thank you alpha, for this offer is most appreciated by this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome was stunned. She never expected him to accept her offer and treat her as an equal. She watched when he walked over to the bowl and devoured the heart and liver, when he was done he stepped away from the bowl and proceeded to clean his claws from the feast.

A small smile appeared on Kagome's lips, while her eyes shinned with happiness, they turned a bright blue and sparkled for all to see. She picked up the bowl once Sesshoumaru was done with his meal and went to clean it. She was happy for the first time since coming to this era, she was truly happy.

Sesshoumaru looked up and saw the ghost of a smile that appeared on the little miko's lips. But what caught him off guard were her eyes. They were a bright blue and you could see all the happiness that she was feeling at this moment in time. He never knew that such a small acceptance from him, would make her this happy. He watched when she got up and walk away with the empty bowl in her hands. He sat back against his tree and watched the little miko for the rest of the day.

She was a curious creature. She was loving and kind hearted to her pack but when someone tried to hurt them she was a wild animal out for blood. When everyone was done with lunch they continued their travel. Sesshoumaru was on Kagome's shoulder leading the way while the rest of her group were following behind her.

They traveled mostly in silence as the kit would be running around playing with the two tail neko. It reminded him of Rin as a ghost of a smile came to his lips. He missed his ward when he heard the miko ask, "Sesshoumaru where is Rin and the rest of your pack?"

Sesshoumaru stayed quiet for a few minutes. Kagome didn't think he was going to answer her when she heard, "Rin is safe, I left her, Jaken, and Ah-Un in a safe place to be protected. Naraku is after her and I won't risk her life. Once Naraku is dead then she will rejoin this Sesshoumaru."

Kagome understood his concerns when she stopped in her tracks and looked around the area. Something didn't feel right. She was on edge when her instincts came to the forefront, it usually meant trouble, she scanned the area, letting her aura go forth to see if she could find out what was wrong.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the miko stopped and seemed to be looking around the area. He was wondering what was wrong, "Miko, is anything wrong?"

Kagome sighed, _'I do wish he would use my name, but being called a miko is better than whore, bitch, or wench.'_ "I feel something in this area. It feels like we are being watched and I don't like what I'm sensing."

Kagome turned to the rest of the group and said, "All of you be careful, I sense something in the area but I don't know where they are located."

Miroku and Sango nodded their understanding while they kept watch. They knew that if Kagome sensed something then it was there.

They continued their journey and just before they stopped for the evening what Kagome has been sensing all day made themselves known.

-oOo-

Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi spotted their target. She was making her way through the forest with her companions. They followed to see if they could find the best place and time to attack. Soon the sun was going down and they saw this as their chance. They never noticed the Youkai Lord that was riding on the miko's shoulder when they made their presence known to the group.

Sesshoumaru sensed when Naraku's cast offs were about to come into view. He got up and hid under Kagome's hair behind her neck. He will be the surprise that they were not expecting because the miko's aura was powerful enough to hide his own.

He was on the back of her neck, watching from his perch. Then a thought came to mind and whispered, "Miko I will be here on your neck, I will be able to tell you when they are behind you to protect you."

Kagome nodded her understanding and faced off with Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi. The group of Naraku's misfits came walking into the clearing where the miko and her pack were located, when they stopped a few feet away from Kagome. Hakudoshi stepped forward, with an air of superior authority in his stance, saying, "Good evening miko, Naraku wishes to see you. If you come with us willingly, your friends will not be harmed."

Kagome eyes Kagura when she adverts her gaze. She knew that Kagura was under orders to take her back to Naraku or else he would kill her. Kagome noticed the mirror that Kanna carried, there was something not right about it, her senses were telling her to be careful, and was preparing for anything.

Kagome heard Hakudoshi's words, she did not appreciate them one bit, "Now why would I want to go and see him?"

Hakudoshi laughed, he thought that grabbing the miko was going to be easy so he never paid attention to what was around him, "I do not question my master. I just do his bidding when he asks it of me. Now come with us, we have a long way to go."

Kagome huffed, there was no way she was going with them, "I'm not going anywhere with you. If Naraku wants me then he must come here himself to get me."

Sesshoumaru was sitting there listening to everything that was going on. His senses started picking up more Youkai coming into the area, they were trying to sneak up on the group. "Miko there are Youkai approaching from the rear. They are trying to divide your group up."

Kagome understood, she raised her hand up to her right ear. She ran her fingers through her hair, signaling her friends.

Sango and Miroku noticed what Kagome was doing. She was telling them that there were Youkai coming in from behind and got ready. Over the years, Kagome has developed hand signals that she could use to communicate with her friends when they did not want the enemy to know what they are doing.

Hakudoshi was not happy, he raised his naginata and the Youkai that were hiding in the forest attacked. He thought that the Youkai would keep the other ningens busy while he and the rest go after the miko. But what happened was not what he was planning.

Miroku was the one that turned around and threw his ofuda's toward the Youkai that were attacking him. He froze them in place, while he undid his prayer beads and sucked them all into his wind tunnel.

Sango turned and let her Hiraikotsu go towards Naraku's minions. They were the ones that jumped away from each other as the weapon came in spinning fast trying to cut them in half.

Kagome took her bow, aimed, and fired her arrow at Hakudoshi, it streaked across the clearing with a powerful aura. She missed but only by a fraction, the arrow did do some damage to the group, while they regrouped and went after her one more time.

Kagome dodged and moved, avoiding the attacks from Kagura. Sesshoumaru was telling her what was going on around her, she would give signals to Sango and Miroku on the next attack coming their way.

Hakudoshi has no idea how the miko knew in which direction the attacks were coming from. He stopped in his tracks and yelled, "Kanna now!"

Kanna nods her head in understanding, and points her mirror at the slayer. She turns her mirror, getting Sango's reflection in it, and then tries to suck out her soul. To Kanna's surprise she is unable to take her soul, she notices that Sango is surrounded by a powerful barrier that is protecting her.

Kanna then tries for the monk but the same things happened again, she turns towards Hakudoshi and says, "I am unable to absorb their souls. It is being protected by a powerful barrier that I cannot break."

Hakudoshi grows angry at this new development, "Then let the beast from within your mirror come forth."

Kanna understood and concentrates on her powers, summoning the Youkai from the mirror.

Kagome was surrounded by her friends, while they kept her safe from the attacking Youkai. They were all breathing hard, but were ready for the next wave of attacks.

Kagome noticed when Kanna tried to suck her friend's souls from them. She was happy when she gave each of them a charm that would protect their soul from Kanna when they started traveling without Inuyasha. She had a feeling that they will need that protection, Naraku was stepping up his attacks thinking that they are defenseless.

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she noticed that Kanna was doing something with her mirror. She gave her friends a warning, they stood there to see what was going to happen.

Kanna released the mirror Youkai from his prison, when it came out to do battle. He was a tall Youkai made of glass and roared his challenge.

Kagome eyed the Youkai carefully. She didn't trust it as it started to come closer to her. Kirara was keeping Shippou safe, she signed to her friends to move away from her to keep them safe. They were to keep an eye on Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi, while she concentrated on the mirror Youkai.

Sesshoumaru saw the glass Youkai that emerged from the mirror. It was a strange Youkai, he did not detect any real power coming from him, "Be careful miko, this Youkai is not like the others you have battled. He holds no aura of his own, so being made of glass, he can deflect any attack that you may throw at him."

Kagome understood what Sesshoumaru was saying. She was having trouble picking up on its aura while she stood her ground. The Youkai came closer to her position and roared again, attacking.

Kagome moved quickly out of the way of the attacking Youkai, she brought her bow up to deflect a shard of glass that was coming her way. It broke her bow, leaving her to scrabble to avoid another attack.

Kagome was thinking hard on what to do. This Youkai has no real power but at the same time it was fast and deadly. The shards were like knives and it will cut you. She continued to move, trying to think of a way to defeat this Youkai when she flipped backwards to miss another attack.

Kagome noticed that her friends were keeping Naraku's incardination busy while she dealt with the glass Youkai. Sesshoumaru gave her a warning and jumped just in time to miss an attack but the force of the blast sent her flying, whispering, "Hold on Sesshoumaru."

Kagome turned her body and flipped in midair to land on the ground on one knee. She was breathing hard while another attack came her way. She brought her hands up and deflected the shards that was about to hit her.

To Sesshoumaru's surprise the little miko has a pair of Sai's in her hands when she landed on bended knee on the ground, he was wondering where she got them from and used them to deflect the attack away from her.

Kagome has a plan and she needed to get closer to the mirror Youkai. But before she tried her theory, she reached down into the waist of the pants, that she was wearing, and got out one of the hidden stars that she carried. She was glad that she didn't wear that short skirt anymore and wore pants constantly. With her fighting all the time it was just the right clothing that she should wear.

She moved, running around the Youkai, trying to keep him off balance and threw her star. It hit the Youkai in the chest when he howled in pain. Then to Kagome's surprise she heard Kanna screaming in pain at the same time, when she fell to her knees clutching her chest. She was connected to this Youkai in some way and now Kagome has her plan.

Kanna fell to her knees in pain. She looked over to her mirror Youkai and noticed the weapon that was stuck in its chest. This was not good because the miko now knew how to defeat the Youkai and if she happens to destroy this Youkai it would kill her as well.

Kanna moved, and went after her mirror Youkai, she needed to direct him to duplicate the miko's powers so it would not be destroyed.

Hakudoshi and Kagura covered Kanna in what she wanted to do because if she didn't stop the miko from killing the mirror Youkai then they would lose Kanna as well and that was not an option right now. The fighting became fierce when Sango and Miroku stepped up their attacks. Kirara joined them when she found a suitable hiding place for the kit.

Kagura was using her fan to attack Sango and Miroku whereas Hakudoshi moved to help Kanna. Kagome saw what was going on with her friends, she then takes out another star and sends it towards Kagura. She hits her fan breaking it, then Kagura jumps on her large feather and moves away from the area.

Sango and Miroku then turn their attention to the other two who were after Kagome and start running in her direction.

Kagome saw when Kagura left the area and turned her attention back to the mirror Youkai. She threw more of her stars at the Youkai and was breaking off bits and pieces of his body. Kagome noticed when Kanna was hurt by what she was doing and kept her attacks going.

Kanna moved the Youkai in for a close attack, he brought his arm down and tried to kill Kagome.

Kagome caught his arm on her Sai and broke part of his arm. She held on tight and found her strength when she pushed him away from her body. She landed and rolled on the ground, coming up again in a defensive position, breathing hard.

Sesshoumaru has managed to stay with the miko as she moved around the area. He was amazed at her skills and wondered where she learned how to fight. She was a very skilled fighter with her Sai, not many can control this weapon with the skill and accuracy that she has. She was deadly and what amazed him the most was that she was not using her Reiryoku to battle this Youkai.

Sesshoumaru may not have the power to fight against normal size Youkai but his natural barrier was protecting the little miko from getting hurt. Sesshoumaru's eyes were going red, his beast was trying to get free to attack his enemy. Sesshoumaru was trying to keep him under control but as the battle progressed it was getting harder to do.

Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru's aura was slowly growing, she could not have this as she quietly said, "Sesshoumaru calm yourself this Youkai uses your own powers against you. If you let your youki go then we will be in big trouble. I have tested my theory when I was close to him and sent a small amount of my Reiryoku towards him to see if I could purify him. He used it against me and sent it back 10-fold. So, to win this fight you must keep calm or I must ask you to leave."

Sesshoumaru heard the miko's words. He was amazed that she has found out so much about her opponent. Then he felt when she wrapped her aura around his body and felt the warmth of her power. It calmed his beast so he would not have to leave her, while he kept his senses opened to make sure she stayed safe.

Kagome continued to dodge and got ready for her final attack. If this worked, then both this Youkai and Kanna will be dead. She reached down and grabbed a rock while still moving out of the way. She channeled her Reiryoku into the rock and the rock acted like a container to hold her powers. When she stored enough of her power in the rock she got ready.

Kagome skidded to a halt, raised her arm, and threw the rock as hard as she could. The Youkai shifted to the right when the rock hit his left shoulder, and got imbedded into its body. It cracked the outer casing of his body, when her powers were released, it blew apart the Youkai left shoulder and part of his chest.

Kagome got ready, she charged toward the Youkai intending on finishing this fight. She has her Sai's in her hands and was getting closer. Before she could pull off her attack she heard Sesshoumaru's warning and jumped away before Hakudoshi attack hit her. Though the attack missed her, she got caught in the back blast of the explosion, she hit a tree hard and fell to the ground unconscious.

Miroku and Sango saw what happened and rush to her side. They will not let anyone hurt her and they were ready to defend.

Sesshoumaru was slowly getting his senses back. He fell off the little miko's shoulder when she hit a tree. He looked up from the ground and slowly gets up, while he looked for the miko. He spotted her not too far away from him and makes his way towards her.

There was a cut on her forehead and he noticed that her blood was being split. Sesshoumaru moved closer to Kagome, gently touching her cheek. She was still breathing but she shouldn't have been hurt.

Sesshoumaru inner Inu was pushing his way free. He was not going to stop until he took care of the ones that hurt the little miko. She was the alpha bitch of this pack and she did her best protecting what was hers. He turned his blood red eyes towards Hakudoshi who was gloating, about winning the fight with the miko. He will show him the meaning of winning when he kills him for what he has done.

Sesshoumaru formed his cloud under his feet, he lifts off the ground and moves forward. He floats right in front of the ningens and says to them, "Go tend to the little miko. I will take care of these vermin's."

Sango and Miroku were not about to argue with the Youkai Lord and moved over to their friend. They watched from their position to see what the Youkai Lord was going to do.

Hakudoshi noticed for the first time that Sesshoumaru was with the little miko. He thought that Naraku took care of him but he must have failed. No matter, he will take care of him himself. "Ah Lord Sesshoumaru, nice to see you again, I see that Naraku's present has worked well. How do you find the world now, as you see it through smaller eyes?"

Sesshoumaru huffed while saying in a cold voice, "Leave! I will not allow you to take the miko."

Hakudoshi laughed, he thought that Sesshoumaru was delusional, "Who are you to stop us? Your powers are greatly reduced so you can't fight against us." To prove his point, he sent a blast of his youki towards Sesshoumaru, he saw when his attack hit. He smiled wide thinking that he has finally gotten rid of the Youkai Lord. He was about to take a step forward when he felt tremendous powers coming from right in front of him.

He looked up, then notices that the cloud of dust was slowly leaving the area and to his horror Sesshoumaru was still there but engulfed in a golden ball of light.

Sesshoumaru saw the attack coming and stood his ground. It hits him full force when Tenseiga's barrier protected him. His anger was growing by the minute when his hair starts moving on its own. His tail started floating up and his youki more than tripled in power. His eyes were starting to go white when his inner Inu came forth. He removes Tokijin from it sheath, channeling his powers into it.

When the smoke clears Sesshoumaru sees his enemy, swinging his sword across his body, Sesshoumaru releases an enormous attack. He was determined to protect the little miko and that gave him the extra strength he needed to defeat them.

The attack hits Hakudoshi in the chest, and he is sent flying backwards. Kagura seeing that Hakudoshi was about to be killed flew in and grabbed him and Kanna. She left in a hurry, leaving the Youkai Lord alone with the miko and her friends. They never thought that he would still be this powerful and now they must find another way to kill him.

Hakudoshi was panting hard on the floor of the feather. Part of his chest was missing; his body was trying to regenerate the damage that was done by Sesshoumaru's attack. Naraku was not going to be pleased to hear that Sesshoumaru was protecting the little miko. This complicated things, as Kagura took them back to Naraku's hideout.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sesshoumaru learned a great deal about Kagome and what she is capable of. He also learned something about himself as well, that when you protect with all your heart you can be truly powerful, a lesson that his father has been trying to teach him for a long time now.

Join me in the next chapter while Sesshoumaru tries to figure out Kagome. Kagome finds out that she really does not know all she should about Youkai. It is a time of discovery for the both of them as Sesshoumaru looks at Kagome with new eyes.

Until the next chapter!

Jani


	5. Chapter 5

Sesshoumaru was breathing hard while he watched Naraku's incarnations leave. He put his sword back into its sheath and moves over to the little miko.

Sango was treating Kagome's wounds. She has a cut on her forehead and some bruises, but thankfully she didn't have any broken bones. Miroku was standing by making sure that they were protected while she tended to their friend. She looked up in time to see Sesshoumaru blast Naraku's incarnations and was shocked to see that he has this kind of power, especially with that curse that was on him.

Sango hated to think what kind of powers he would have if they were not being subdued, while she was putting a bandage on Kagome's forehead. Sesshoumaru moved back towards them, when they heard him ask, "How is the little miko?"

Sango looked up, saying, "She is doing fine milord, beside the cut on her forehead that is her only injury. I have checked her body and she doesn't seem to have any broken bones, only bruises."

Sesshoumaru was happy with this, "I suggest we make camp here. It is too late in the day to continue moving. The miko will need her rest before we continue on our journey."

Sango and Miroku agreed, they got out Kagome's sleeping bag and set it out for her. Sesshoumaru growled when he saw Miroku's hands moving to forbidden territory. "Monk I suggest that you keep your hands off her, or you will find yourself without any."

Miroku gave a small nervous laugh, "I was only going to move her to her sleeping bag, milord. I was not going to do anything to her." He heard another growl from the Youkai Lord and moved away from Kagome, he was so misunderstood.

Sango shook her head at the monk's antics, she moved Kagome onto her sleeping bag and made sure that she was resting comfortably. She turned her attention to Miroku, "Miroku, can you go gather some firewood and Shippou I need you to go and get some water. I want to make some tea before Kagome wakes up. She is going to need it with the headache she is going to have."

Both males understood and they set out to do their assigned task. Sango went over to start the evening meal while they left Kagome alone to rest.

Sesshoumaru moved closer to the little miko. He was completely in awe with her. He has never seen a female fight like she did. She was almost like him; she was calculating her next moves before she needed them and testing theories while in the middle of a battle. He wanted to know so much about her but he didn't know who to ask. He knew that the slayer will never answer his questions and the monk was of no use to him.

He sat down by her side, waiting for the little miko to heal. He could feel her aura growing, it engulfed her body in a soft blue light. His beast was finally calming down again when he took in her scent.

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his thoughts when he saw the little kit moving closer to the miko.

-oOo-

Shippou finished coming back with the water that Sango needed to cook with. He was worried about his mother and decided to go see how she was doing. When he got there, he noticed that Sesshoumaru was sitting next to her and he moved slowly. He stopped before getting near his mother, then bared his neck to Sesshoumaru in submission, and waited. He knew enough not to go near her without Sesshoumaru's permission.

Sesshoumaru was impressed when he saw the kit stop a short distance away from him. He nodded his head allowing the kit to come closer. When the kit got to him his eyes opened wide, he noticed when the kit bowed to him and then turn his attention to his mother.

Shippou eyes were watering, he was concerned about his mother, then he turned towards the Youkai Lord, asking, "Is she going to be all right?"

Sesshoumaru looked at the kit, he could clearly see his upset, "Yes, she will be fine. She is currently healing any damage done to her body."

Shippou was happy that she was going to be all right. He moved closer to her, then he gently nuzzled and gave her a lick under her chin. He heard the gentle growl she gave and it soothed him right away. His mother knew what he needed. He needed to be reassured that she was going to be all right. Her growl told him that she was fine and was just sleeping. He moved away from her, and then he went to help Sango make the evening meal.

Sesshoumaru was surprised with what he was observing. The little kit has been taught well. He understands his place in this pack and shows his respect for his alpha, but what surprised him the most was that the miko gave the kit a low growl that seemed to sooth him. It was a growl that a mother Youkai would give her pups to make them calm down. This little miko was full of surprises and he was going to enjoy learning more about her.

Sesshoumaru's beast gave a growl of approval, he remained seated and thought about what was said by Naraku's minions. The fact that Naraku wanted the little miko was not good. This meant that he knew Inuyasha was no longer protecting the little miko, and if he knew that, then he knew that he was traveling with the girl.

He turned his head and looked at Kagome. She was very beautiful. Her long eyelashes gave her eyes depth. They were not in the normal almond shape of the other ningens. Hers were more rounded, letting you see into the depth of her soul when her eyes were opened. She has a small nose, rosy red lips, and the softest skin he has ever felt. Her ebony hair shinned brightly and when you looked at it in the sunlight there were blue streaks going through it.

She was smart, and very well educated for a female, something that was not seen in the demoness that were in his court. He was glad that she covered herself up some more. Though he hated not being able to see those long legs of hers, he did not want anyone else to see her body. She was a perfect female and he could not understand why his brother would go for a dead body instead of the vibrant female that was lying next to him.

Sesshoumaru's beast was very much aware of the little miko next to him. He was calm when he could smell her scent but most of all he noticed how much more powerful he became when he was determined to protect her.

Then a conversation came to mind that happened a long time ago.

 _ **-FLASH BACK-**_

Sesshoumaru was standing by the ocean, the wind was blowing and the snow was coming down. His father just came back from sealing Ryūkotsusei in the northern mountains. He was wounded severely, and wanted to go after that ningen that was about to give birth to his hanyou son, "Why must you leave again? You are in no condition to fight."

Segumi turned towards his eldest son, you could see the pain in his eyes, and responded to his question, "Sesshoumaru, do you have something to protect?"

Sesshoumaru was confused by his father's question, not knowing where he was going with this he responded, "I have nothing nor do I need anything to protect."

Segumi looked up at the moon, closing his eyes, "When you have something to protect then you will know what true power is. I will give my life for her because she has given me something to protect."

Sesshoumaru thought his father to be a fool, "Then if you must go, leave the swords Tetsusaiga and Sounga with me."

Segumi looked at his son, his eyes tired, "What do you plan to do with them?"

"My wish is for supreme conquest, to be truly the most powerful Youkai in all the lands." Stated Sesshoumaru in a no-nonsense voice.

Segumi gave a tired laugh, pain racking his body, "For you to become truly the most powerful Youkai in the lands you must have something to protect. When you learn this lesson then you will truly be the strongest Youkai in the lands."

Sesshoumaru saw when his father took off into the night, transforming into his true form, he was going after that ningen wench. He was hurt that his father would so foolishly give up his life to defend a ningen female. He turned and heads off on his own, never to see his father again.

 _ **-END OF FLASHBACK-**_

Sesshoumaru shook his head trying to get rid of those annoying thoughts. _'She is still a ningen and I will not lower myself to take her as a mate. I refuse to follow in my father's footsteps, even if she is a very powerful female.'_ He continued to sit and think while he watched the rest of the group go about making the evening meal.

Sango and Miroku were watching Sesshoumaru sitting next to their friend, Sango was curious enough to ask Miroku in a low voice, "Do you think he might be interested in her?"

Miroku let his eyes drift towards Sesshoumaru and then away, "Yes I do believe that Sesshoumaru has an interest in our friend, though I doubt he will ever admit it to anyone." Sango nodded her understanding and continued cooking.

A couple of hours later Kagome started to come out of her sleep. She has a tremendous headache, she groaned and opened her eyes. The first thing she noticed was that it was already dark. She was slowly sitting up and holding her head with one of her hands. Then she hears, "Here Kagome, drink this, it will help with your headache."

Kagome was grateful for the tea and took a small drink. It felt good going down her throat as it hit her stomach. After a few minutes, she started to feel better, she looked to her right and notices that Sesshoumaru was sitting there next to her. She was curious on why he was so close to her location, "Why are you sitting next to me Sesshoumaru? I thought that you would be far away from me."

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant eyebrow at her statement, "It would be rude to abandon the alpha bitch when she has been hurt defending her pack."

Kagome's eyes narrowed in anger when he called her a bitch. Sesshoumaru saw this and gave an internal chuckle, "Miko, the alpha bitch is the main female in a pack. She is usually the most powerful of all the females and keeps the pack running well. The bitch is very attentive to all her members. She protects the pack along with the alpha male. She is the main female in the pack that will have pups and the rest of the females will help her raise them.

"There are very few packs out here that have a female as their leader. Only the most powerful females can assume this responsibility. As a guest in your pack I was obligated to protect you while you were healing."

Kagome heard what he was saying, and was confused, _'Is he paying me a compliment?'_ He is an Inu Youkai and their females are usually referred to as a bitch. But his last statement made her realize that he didn't do it because he thought of her as powerful, no, he did it because he was obligated to do it. She turned her head away from him and said, "Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru. I appreciate you staying by my side until I was healed. Now if you will excuse me I need to take a bath."

The tears were forming slowly in her eyes. If she didn't leave here soon they will fall. She got up and grabbed her bag, looking around the area. She sensed the hot springs to her left and went in that direction.

Sesshoumaru watched her leave and knitted his eyebrows together. He didn't understand what was going on, he did not comprehend what he did wrong to cause her to leave his side. He sat there trying to find the answers to his questions, when he noticed the little kit moving closer to him.

-oOo-

Shippou saw what was going on with his mother and Sesshoumaru. He heard the huge compliment that he gave her and her reactions to his words. His mother still has a long way to go in understanding Youkai nature. He decided to go and talk to Sesshoumaru, to see if he could help him just a bit.

He would like to see his mother with a male, he wanted her to be protected and loved. He wanted to see her happy again like she used to be. Plus, he wanted her to stay with him forever. Sesshoumaru was the most powerful Youkai in all the lands. He has wealth that will provide for his mother's future and comfort. He thought that Sesshoumaru could be the right male for his mother if he accepted her as his mate.

Shippou approached Sesshoumaru, he stopped a short distance away and bared his neck in submission. When he saw from the corner of his eye the Youkai lord's nod, giving him permission to approach, he came closer and sat down in front of him. He never made eye contact, while he said in a low voice, "You must forgive Kagome Lord Sesshoumaru. She still has a lot to learn about Youkai, she didn't understand that you paid her the highest compliment for a female. Her only focus was on the word _'obligated.'_

"She thinks that you protected her because you felt obligated to do it as her guest. Not because she is your equal and as an alpha it was your right to provide her with that protection. Give her time Lord Sesshoumaru, I'm positive that she will come around and realize that you did it out of respect for her and not out of obligation."

Sesshoumaru sat there and listened to the kit speak. For one so young he has a maturity that surpassed most adult Youkai. He took the kits words to heart maybe the little miko did not understand what he was saying. He often forgot that she was not a Youkai and did not understand his way of life.

He looked at the kit. He thought that maybe the kit could provide him with some answers to his questions so he sat there and talked to the kit for a while. The kit was more than willing to tell him about his mother.

He found out where the kit was from and where his clan's home was located. To find out that his clan was wiped out by the thunder brothers was a shame since his clan was one of the more powerful Kitsune clans in the area. His father was their leader and alpha. He was a good leader and a powerful Kitsune. His fox fire was one of the most powerful he has ever seen. They continued to talk while Sesshoumaru learned all he could about the little miko.

-oOo-

Kagome walked away from her friends and went to find the hot springs. Tears were going down her cheeks, while she thought about what Sesshoumaru said to her. She was a fool to think that he might think of her as an equal. _'He felt obligated to help me, obligated, how dare he! I don't want anyone to feel obligated that they must help me. I can protect myself and I don't need his help.'_

Kagome found the hot spring, she quickly got undressed and entered the water. She went under the water to get her body wet. When she came back up she sat down on a submerged rock. She sat there and thought about what has happened in the last few days.

She thought that she made some head wave with the Youkai Lord. He accepted her gift of the liver and heart from a kill, meaning that he thought of her as an equal. But now he says that he was obligated to protect her. That didn't make any sense to her. She was looking for something, anything that will tell her what his actions meant. She was sure that she was taking this out of context.

She sat there for a while thinking, she is wondering where Kagura, Kanna, and Hakudoshi have gone off to. Did her friends defeat them in battle or did Sesshoumaru really protect her? This was a question that she needed answers to. She knew that Naraku was now after her. With Inuyasha off with the corpse, Naraku was bound to know that she was no longer under his protection.

Kagome grew angry with that last thought, what was she thinking? She has never been protected by Inuyasha in any way, shape, or form. He was usually thrown to the ground unconscious when she would shoot her arrow and purified the Youkai. Then he would boast that he killed it, how pathetic.

But Sesshoumaru was different. She saw him battling against the crow Youkai and he was a very skillful fighter. He was a calculating fighter, something that she admired. His moves were fluid, swift, and powerful. He killed his opponents quickly and never made them suffer. But that did not mean that he could not. He was, after all, called the killing perfection for a reason.

Kagome then started to wash, she was very tired and she has a killer headache. She quickly finished her bath when she got out and put on her sleeping clothes which consisted of a tank top and long cotton pants.

When she goes home the next time she must bring back clothes that she can fight in. She could not wear her uniform anymore because she was being attacked often. Besides, she needed a place where she could hide her weapons. Cargo pants were very easy to hide her weapons in. With all the pockets that they have, her spells will hide her Sai, shudigan, and stars.

She learned of the spell a while back that makes things smaller when placed inside a pocket or bag. It allowed her to carry double the supplies without her bag being heavier. When she was done, she sat down and started to brush her hair. It was wet and needed to be brushed out until it was dry, straight, and shiny. Her mind was still going over what Sesshoumaru said to her, she was still wondering why he was with her if he thought of her as weak.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was growing impatient in waiting for the miko to return. He was worried that she would get attacked again, with his mind made up he got up and left the clearing. He was going after the little miko, he needed to make sure that she was safe while he traveled fast through the area.

He was following her scent through the forest until he came to the area where the hot springs was located. He jumped into a tree and sniffed the area. There were no Youkai around the area while he looked for his little miko. He saw her in the water when she was slowly emerging.

His eyes opened wide when he saw her for the first time. She was perfect. She was curved in all the right places, her breasts were just the right size. They were just big enough to produce milk for the pups she will have some day. Her hips were wide meaning that her body was perfect for bearing young. Her hair was long and it glittered with the light of the moon. The area around her private parts was neatly trimmed, giving access to the person who would give her pleasure.

It made her look like a celestial being, he could not ask for a more perfect female, than the one standing right in front of him. Sesshoumaru was brought out of his stupor when his beast howled his wants and desires. His beast wanted the little miko while he tried to calm him down, _"Calm yourself, I know that you want her but we can do nothing to claim the female in our present form."_

Sesshoumaru's beast growled with anger, _**"I want the female. She is everything we need in a female. She has beauty, is very powerful and our match, plus she will make a wonderful mother to our pups. I want her as my mate, as our mate."**_

Sesshoumaru sighed, when his beast made up his mind that he wanted something there was no stopping him, _"Yes I understand but she is a ningen and a miko, our mortal enemy. We cannot mate with her. If we take her as our mate, then we will be following in our father's footstep and I refuse to travel that road."_

Sesshoumaru's beast was not backing down from what he wanted, _**"I do not care what you want. Our sire was a powerful Youkai, he picked a female that brought out his inner most power. This female has done the same for us. If we were in our normal form, then our enemy would be dead by now. She gives us something to fight for and protect.**_

" _ **Now I understand what our sire was trying to say to us. When you protect, you protect with all your being. The power from within comes out and it makes us the most powerful in the lands. With this female by our side there will be no one on these lands that will be able to defeat us. Plus, our pups will be more powerful than we are. They will have our combined powers."**_

Sesshoumaru listened to his beast speak while he watched the little miko. She was finally dressed and she was sitting on a rock brushing her hair. He thought that it was the best time to go and speak to her, at least they were alone with no one watching them.

Sesshoumaru jumped out of the tree he was in, and made his way towards her.

Kagome sensed when Sesshoumaru was coming towards her. She sighed, thinking, _'Why can't he leave me alone for a while?'_ Irritated that her time alone was cut short she said, "Can I help you Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru stopped his forward motion when he heard her words. Somehow hearing her speak with respect towards him did not please him in the least. He liked who she was, the rebellious little miko who only called him by his name like an equal. He continued walking until he reached her location. He stopped, then turned his attention towards her and said, "I came to see if you were all right. You have been gone from camp for a while and I didn't want you getting attacked again."

Kagome huffed clearly irritated that he would think of her as weak, that she could not protect herself. "Do you think of me as being so weak that I would need your protection?"

The venom in her voice took Sesshoumaru by surprise. He now knew that she misunderstood his words from before, "No miko you are not weak. Not by any sense of the word." Sesshoumaru sighed his frustrations, he sat down and tried to talk to the little female, to apologize for his earlier words. "Miko you misunderstood my meaning when I told you that I was obligated to protect you while you were hurt.

"The word _obligation_ was not meant in the meaning of the actual word. As alpha of my pack I am obligated to protect those within my pack, just like you protect yours. When I accepted your offer of the heart and liver I was indicating to you that you are my equal in every sense of the word.

"I was obligated because of my respect for you to protect you. It is my right to protect the alpha of the pack that I am traveling with, and it shows you that you have an ally in me. That is what alpha's do to have allegiance with other packs in the area. If the alpha's can come to an agreement, then there will be peace in the area.

"I never meant to offend you with my words, but as the leader of your pack you must learn to control your emotions if you want to earn the respect of the other males. They will not be so easy to show that you are a powerful female. They will try to subdue you and you must be ready to fight if that is the case."

Kagome sat there and listened to what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. _'So, it is exactly as I thought, I did take it out of context. He was paying me a compliment and a huge one at that.'_ She felt ashamed of herself for not listening to her instincts when she first thought about what he was saying.

Youkai were simple creatures and they do not beat around the bush when they are saying something. They mean what they say if they accept you as their equal. "Thank you Sesshoumaru for clearing that up for me. I have learned a lot about Youkai but apparently not enough. I hope you will accept my apologies for the way I have been acting."

Sesshoumaru looked up at the miko when he saw her thinking about what he was saying. You could see her thinking when he heard her words. He was happy now that she has dropped the honorifics again and they can continue as before.

Kagome stopped brushing her hair as it was now dry and very silky. It pooled over her shoulders like water flowing from the river. She looked beautiful just sitting there and he couldn't help but just look at her features.

He then stood and jumped, landing on her knee, sitting down once more. Looking into her eyes, asking, "Miko are you sure you are all right?"

Kagome gave a gentle smile, looking down at the Youkai Lord. He was making every effort to say he was sorry and she admired him for it. She turned and looked at the sky, it was a beautiful night with all the stars shining brightly in the sky, she then turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru, "Yes Sesshoumaru, I'm feeling all right. I have a headache but that's about it."

Kagome saw him sitting there on her knee. She suddenly got the urge to brush his hair and she wondered if he would let her do it. She took a deep breath and thought, _'Nothing ventured, nothing gained,'_ and asked, "Sesshoumaru would you mind if I brush your hair?"

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear her question. _'She wants to brush my hair? Why?'_ Sesshoumaru's beast was growling low in his throat, he wanted her attention and he was pushing his logical side to accept her offer.

Kagome looked away, she was disappointed that he would not answer her question, "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have asked you for something so personnel. It was just, well… oh never mind, forget I said anything." Kagome was embarrassed that she even had the nerve to ask him such a personal question. He must think of her as a fool for even suggesting something so personal.

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his musing when he heard her words and quickly stated, "I do not mind."

Kagome turned back to the Youkai Lord, she smiled brightly at him when she heard his answer. Her smile lit up her eyes and they became the bluest of blues.

Sesshoumaru turned around and presented his back to her. He felt her gentle fingers running through his hair, then when she took his hair and slowly lifted it off his back. He could feel the gentle strokes that she took, she was very careful not to pull his hair. He relaxed his body even further and closed his eyes while he growled his contentment. He never thought that having someone brush his hair would feel so good. It was an intimate contact and usually done with your mate or intended.

Kagome was in paradise. His hair was so silky to the touch, while she gently brushed it out. There were no tangles that she could see and it seemed like the more she brushed the silkier his hair got. Then she spotted his fur piece hanging on his shoulder and gently took it in her fingers. She started to brush and that's when she heard his low growls getting louder.

Sesshoumaru was in heaven, the little miko was curious about his hair and was currently brushing it for him. His beast was growling his delight, closing his eyes he was enjoying her touch.

Sesshoumaru's back went stiff when she started on his tail. It was a feeling he could not describe while he growled his pleasure. His beast was almost into full submission when she stopped. He was breathing hard when he turned and looked at the miko. She has a light blush on her cheeks, saying, "Thank you, for letting me brush your hair. When I took care of your wounds, I never got the chance to make sure that your hair was properly taken care of."

Now it was his turn to have his cheeks stained a light pink. _'So… the little miko was the one who undressed me before to take care of my wounds. I didn't think she had it in her to be so bold.'_

Kagome was putting her things away when she said, "I think we should head back, the others will be wondering where I am."

Sesshoumaru agreed, he jumped from her knee and landed on the ground. He turned and started to walk back towards camp, when he felt himself being picked up and placed on the little miko's shoulder.

He was lucky that her hand went around his chest when she picked him up. If she grabbed him a little lower she would have known what that little attention did to him. His member was as hard as a rock, she aroused him like no other female ever has. When she placed him on her shoulder he shifted his weight, to make sure that he hid his arousal, and traveled in silence. But this time when they went back it was in a more relaxed mood.

The others were happy when Kagome got back. Sango quickly gave her some food while the Youkai Lord declined to eat. When they were done eating, they all settled down to sleep. The miko put the pillow, which was meant for him next to her, while she laid down and fell asleep.

Sesshoumaru looked around the area. There was a barrier up and everyone was sleeping soundly. The little miko was finally asleep, after fighting with her body. She finally relaxed enough to get the rest that she needed.

He got up from his spot against the tree and made his way over to the pillow. He stopped and looked at where the miko was sleeping. She was on her side with both her hands under the side of her face. The temptation was just too much, he made up his mind and walked towards the miko.

Her scent was calling to him and after she groomed him he could not be too far away from her. His beast was pushing for a mating but that was just something that could not happen now. He could not take her as his mate. If he decided to do so, then he must wait until he was back to normal size. In the meantime, he told his beast that they could be courting her to see if she would be agreeable to a mating.

Sesshoumaru beast was not happy with that alternative but for the moment he will accept it. He realized that he could not mate her with the curse that was on his body.

Sesshoumaru finally made it over to the miko and climbed up to the crook of her arm. He leaned in, resting his head on her neck, while he gently growled. To his surprise, she returned his growl and her throat vibrated. He nuzzled her, giving her a gentle lick to her neck, he closed his eyes and fell asleep, cuddled into the miko's neck, in a place where no one will see him if they were to wake up in the middle of the night.

-oOo-

Just before dawn Sesshoumaru woke up and scanned the area, he was still sleeping on the miko's arm and decided to move away from her. He did not want anyone to see him that close to her. He did not care what the others thought about seeing him with her but he was not ready to admit to anything yet.

The miko interested him, she was powerful, loyal, but most of all she was beautiful in her own way. These were the things that he was looking for in a female. But her being ningen was still bothering him. He did not know if he could mate with someone like her. That's why he wanted to travel with her, he wanted to get to know her to satisfy his curiosity about the little female. But he was getting more than he bargained for when he decided to follow her.

He stood there and watched the sun come up. It will be another beautiful day and with no clouds in sight, it will also be hot. The heat did not bother him at all but he knew enough about ningens to know that this type of heat could be dangerous for them.

The little miko seemed to understand this, she would pick the coolest part of the day to travel in. They took routes that went through the forest. It offered them cover from the blazing sun as they were moving slowly. She made sure that everyone drank a lot of water.

The little miko told him that ningens get hurt when they do not drink enough water when the day was as hot as it was. She went on to explain that their bodies would lose too much water and they needed to replenish as much as possible, to prevent them from getting sick.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, _'This little female never fails to amaze me. She is a wealth of knowledge and I have learned how to take better care of my ward.'_

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his thoughts when he noticed that the miko was moving. She was slowly waking up. She stretched her tired body when her arms went over her head and her legs were kicked all the way back, arching her back up in the process.

The scene was very arousing and he turned away from her. He must keep his control and what she just did, reminded him so much of a neko. She was very flexible, he wondered if she could do that while she was on top of him.

His beast showed him an image of her on top when she arched her back for them. That made him more aroused and he growled at his beast. This was not good; she was almost awake and she will see him with a tent in his lower region. He thought of the most disgusting image he could, Jaken in a female kimono offering to take care of his problem. That has the desired effect when his member deflated quickly at such a disgusting image while he regained control.

Sesshoumaru beast could not stand the image that his logical side projected, so he retreated into the recesses of his mind. He would rather be thinking of the little miko than that ugly kappa. Sesshoumaru finally got his full control back, it was just in time when he saw the miko opening her eyes.

-oOo-

Kagome was waking up from her slumber but she was picking up this wonderful scent. It smelled of the forest after it rained. It was a sweet and powerful smell. She was wondering why she was picking up this scent when she opened her eyes.

She saw Sesshoumaru standing not too far away from her with his hair gently blowing in the breeze. She smiled when she remembered what she did last night. She was so surprised when he consented to let her brush his hair. It was the softest thing she has ever felt. She could just run her fingers through his hair for hours and it would not be enough for her.

She sighed, then she stretched her tired body, she felt her bones pop when they all realigned themselves again. When she was done, she got up and started to gather wood for the fire. She started the morning meal when each of her friends woke up and started to take apart their camp. Soon the meal was over and it was time for them to move out.

Kagome took the lead with the Youkai Lord on her shoulder, Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kirara following closely behind her. They walked at a normal pace towards Edo while Kagome and Sesshoumaru talked. One conversation caught Miroku and Sango attention while they listened to the two in front.

"Sesshoumaru can you teach me how to be a better alpha? Though I know some of the basics I still need to learn more. Gaining knowledge by reading scrolls is fine but I need someone who is actually knowledgeable in being an alpha that can teach me." Kagome waited to see if Sesshoumaru was going to be forth coming with some information for her. She needed guidance because she was basically going on instincts when it came to being a leader to her friends.

Sesshoumaru heard the little miko's request. He thought about what she asked for but he was also aware that the two behind them were intently listening to what he was about to say to the little miko. He figured that if he was going to impart some knowledge to the little miko it will be an exchange of information just between the two of them. "Miko, I will answer your questions tonight, once we stop for the evening."

Kagome heard the Youkai lord's words, he has a reason for waiting until they were alone to impart the answers to her questions. If he was willing to even speak to her then she was willing to wait.

Kagome heard a slap right behind her and sighed. Now she understood why Sesshoumaru wanted to wait until they were alone. He did not want to give her information when her friends were listening to their every word. She knew that Sesshoumaru was a very private person and she respected that. "Very well Sesshoumaru I will wait until tonight and then we will talk in private."

Sango heard Kagome's words and turned heated eyes toward Miroku. He has a nice red hand print on his face for his wondering hands. She gave him a death glare silently telling him that it was his fault that they were not talking. She wanted to hear what the Youkai Lord was going to impart to her friend as knowledge and now she will not be able to listen.

Kagome and her group continued heading towards Edo. They passed many villages on their way home and at each village the residences all turned out to greet the little miko. They paid her the highest respect and offered her a place to stay for the night. She humbly declined their offer and continued moving towards Edo, but not before she stopped and talked to the children of the village. She would give them new games to play and they would run off happily.

Sesshoumaru was impressed with the little miko. She was well respected in the villages that they passed. She was shown the highest respect, a true indication of her alpha status. No one seemed to notice him sitting on her shoulder, this did not bother him because when they entered these villages he moved closer to the little miko to filter out the stench in the area.

He still could not understand why these ningens never bathed as often as they should. The smell of decaying bodies and feces was overwhelming to him. The miko's scent helped him to deal with the stench, plus he enjoyed moving closer to her neck because she would turn a lovely shade of red.

Kagome would blush every time Sesshoumaru moved closer to her neck. She understood why he did this. Even for her ningen nose, the smell in some of these villages was overwhelming. It made her eyes water and she could not wait to leave some of these places.

In one such visit she felt when Sesshoumaru moved closer to her neck, like he has done when they walked through the previous villages. But this time she could feel his hot breath behind her ear while he was caressing that area. It sent chills up and down her spine while Goosebumps broke out all over her body. It made her body shiver with desire and her arousal would peak.

Sesshoumaru's beast was slowly gaining control. Instead of trying to force his way out he was slowly taking it from his rational side. He was almost to the surface when he moved closer to the little miko. He nuzzled her behind her ear and felt her shiver. Little bumps were forming on her skin and he scented her arousal. This told him that she liked what he was doing to her. Now he knew of one sensitive spot on her body, but his fun was taken away when his rational mind found out what he was doing and took control back.

Kagome has traveled so much in the feudal era that she knew her way around. She developed a good sense of direction and noticeable land marks helped her to stay on course. She was approaching a very familiar area when her eyes lit up. It has been a long time since she has seen Jinenji and she was wondering if he has an herb that she was looking for.

Kagome was getting closer to Jinenji's home when she stopped. She sensed that he was coming towards her so she waited for him to approach.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the miko stopped. He was sensing a Youkai coming towards them as he growled his displeasure. He stood on her shoulder and stated, "A Youkai comes."

Sango and Miroku quickly prepare for a battle but they stopped when they heard, "Yes I know, he will not attack us. As a matter of fact, he is a dear friend."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow went up when he heard her words. He sat back down and waited for this Youkai to approach.

Kagome smiled when she saw Jinenji coming towards her, he was happy to see her, while she heard him say, "Lady Kagome, it is a pleasure to see you again. What brings you to my home?" He then stops in front of Kagome and gently bows to her in respect.

Kagome smiled and takes a step forward, saying, "Hello Jinenji, I am just passing through the area heading home. How is your mother?"

Jinenji smiled at the concern that she showed for his mother, "She is getting on in years but she is still with me. She never slows down and doesn't hesitate to put anyone in their place."

Kagome laughed, she remembered the old woman that she mistook for a mountain witch that she knew. She was a spitfire and she admired her for protecting her son. "I'm glad to hear that she has not changed at all. I was wondering if you have a particular herb that I'm looking for."

Jinenji smiled, he will always help with any herbs she needs, "What kind of herb you are looking for? Don't tell me that your friend is ill again."

Kagome laughed while she said over her shoulder, "Sango, I would like you to meet Jinenji. He is the one that gave me the herbs to cure Kirara when she was poisoned by Naraku's miasma."

Sango has heard of this Youkai, Kagome told her about the hanyou and the herbs he gave her to help Kirara. She stepped forward and says, "I want to thank you. Your medicine cured my friend Kirara from the poison she was exposed to. I'm in your debt."

Sango then bows to the hanyou showing him her gratitude for helping Kirara on that day.

Jinenji was surprised by her bow, no one has ever showed him such respect, "It was nothing. I help everyone I can with the herbs from my gardens. Please come with me, Lady Kagome please tell me which herbs you are looking for."

Kagome stopped and took off her back pack, she opened the bag and was searching for her special book. This book was special because she got it a while back and it was on sale at a book store. This book contained all the flowers that were used in medicine, to her this book was filled with knowledge on how to make the modern medicine with just herbs.

When she found it, she pulled it out and opened the book to the page that she marked. "Here I have a picture of what the plant looks like. I have no idea what you call it. I refer to it as Wild Yam Root."

Jinenji looked at the picture of a vine that has large green leaves. The leaves were shaped like hearts and they have greenish-white and greenish-yellow flowers. He thought for a few minutes, then his eyes grew bright when he finally figured it out, "Yes, I do believe that I have this flower. It grows in the forest near here. I call it Yuma root, if you follow me I will take you there."

Kagome agreed, she put her book back in her bag and followed Jinenji. It took him no time at all to find the flower she has been looking for. Kagome took a small bag out of her pocket and then started to pick the herb. When the bag was full she turned towards her friend, "Thank you Jinenji, this will be enough for now. I know of a few people that can use this herb. It will make them feel better."

Jinenji was happy that he could help the little miko. He cared for her deeply but he knew that he could never mate her. He was happy just knowing and having her friendship. They both said their goodbyes, then Kagome and her group left Jinenji behind saying that they will visit again soon. They passed many more villages and were one day closer to Edo by the time they stopped for the night.

Kagome went hunting for the evening meal and brought back a deer. It was a good size deer and she was having trouble dragging it back to their camp but once there they quickly got it ready for the fire.

Kagome again offered the heart and liver to Sesshoumaru, which he graciously accepted. Once he was done eating Kagome turned to him, "Sesshoumaru will you walk with me?"

Sesshoumaru understood what she was asking, she wanted some private time with him so he could answer her earlier questions, he stood and followed her into the forest. The others knew better than to follow as they watched Kagome disappear into the forest with the Youkai Lord.

Sango was curious about what they were going to discuss and her curiosity was getting the best of her. But she knew that to disturb Sesshoumaru would be a death sentence, she settled down to watch over the food, plus keep Miroku from following and getting killed.

Sesshoumaru took the lead and took Kagome deeper into the forest. He got to a clearing and stopped, thinking that they were far enough away from the others to have this conversation.

Kagome entered the clearing and her eyes opened wide. It was beautiful. There were flowers everywhere she looked. The light of the moon shone brightly down from the sky and it illuminated the area. She spotted Sesshoumaru sitting on a large rock and made her way over to him. She sat down and waited for him to answer her questions.

Sesshoumaru sat while he thought about what he was going to tell her. When he got his thoughts together he started, "Miko, you are a true alpha and I don't know if you need any more help. From what I have observed you manage your pack just right.

"An alpha makes sure that their pack is protected, they are always in control of what is going on. Though I do understand that there is nothing to be done with the monk, you do handle his antics very well. If a member gets out of line you discipline and punish if you must.

"The punishment is nothing physical but more of a reprimand for not listening to your desires, like the way you punished the kit today, when he would not listen to what you were telling him. Tell me miko, how did you know that a nip on the ear is a form of punishment for Youkai?"

Kagome was listening intently to what Sesshoumaru was saying. She heard his question and then thought about how she was going to answer it. "Well in my home I have seen the Inu's and wolves nip their young when they did something that endangered the pack. The pups would turn and lower their heads and then turn with their belly up in submission."

Sesshoumaru nodded at her observation, "That is correct. A nip in the ear means that the alpha is not pleased with the exhibited behavior. The pups know that they did something wrong and laying on their back, belly up is the ultimate submission. Adult Youkai will turn their heads and bare their throats to their alpha. In this way, they are showing their submission to their leader. They then nuzzle the alpha as a form of apology for disturbing the pack.

"You carry yourself with an air of authority which is good. The villages around this area respect you as a powerful female and protector for their village. The Youkai in the area give you a wide berth when you come into their area. They would rather avoid you than challenge you, and the ones that approach, clearly show you the respect that you are entitled to.

"But that is not the only thing you have to be aware of. You are a powerful female and alpha of a pack, something that is not often seen. The other clans in the area must give you the respect that other alphas receive. Other males will look at you and their first instinct will be to dominate you. If they can get your submission then they will absorb your pack into their own, making them stronger and larger.

"But as a powerful female you have the right to fight back, and if you defeat the alpha of the other pack then there is mutual respect between clans. Also, do not let any male make a claim on your person. A verbal claim is just as good as having a mark on your neck saying that you are mated to them.

"You can never show weakness in any form. I know that you females are very emotional creatures but you must put that aside and deal with the situation as it comes. You cannot worry about hurting someone feelings. To be an alpha means that you have to think outside the box and the consequences for being soft will be the lives of your pack members."

Kagome was listening to everything that Sesshoumaru was saying, it was good advice and she was happy that she was doing things correctly. She thought there for a minute that following her gut instinct was the wrong thing to do but she guessed wrong. Her instincts were right and she will continue to follow them.

But what made her very happy was his opinion of her. He thought very highly of her, maybe she was not a worthless bitch as Inuyasha would often say to her. She was worth something in this life and she can continue hunting for the shards without fear.

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru, then she lowered her eyes and said in a soft voice, "Thank you Sesshoumaru, there for a minute I thought that you would rip into me about all the things that I did wrong. For a long time, I have been told that I was worthless and useless to my pack, that I will never be powerful enough to protect anyone.

"Inuyasha said that I will always have to be protected, because I couldn't protect myself in a battle. But from what you are saying, I have been doing all right on my own and that I only have a few things that I must improve on. I will try my best to take your suggestions, but if I don't succeed then I want to apologize beforehand."

Kagome now knew what she should work on. Koga was going to be her biggest problem when they meet up again. She knew now that she must put a stop to his claims on her and frankly she was getting tired of him saying that she was his woman. She was no one's woman, well not yet anyway. She has not found anyone yet that will accept her for who and what she is.

Sesshoumaru heard her words and now understood why the miko never fought back. The half breed has been working to break the little miko self-confidence and he was not thrilled with the idea of his brother behaving in this manner. To think that he would put down someone that is more powerful than he is, was typical of the things Inuyasha would do. He was trying to bring her down because of his own inadequacies.

Sesshoumaru knew that she was the power in the pack. The way she defended her pack, it was clear that she has been doing it for a while. No one fought that well when freshly getting a new pack. She had some experience prior to striking out on her own.

They sat and talked for a while, he would ask her some questions and she would answer them. The more he talked with her the more he was intrigued by her. She was a unique female and he has never been the talkative type. But with her he was finding it easy to just relax and be himself, something that he has not done since the death of his mother.

After a couple of hours of just getting to know each other, they went back to the group. Upon her return to the pack, Sango gave her little sister some food. She could tell that the information that Kagome received from Sesshoumaru was useful. Her little sister was happy, but she wondered what they talked about.

Sesshoumaru watched as the little miko ate with her pack. Once done the females cleaned the area and then they settled down to sleep. Sesshoumaru took the same spot that he took the previous night. He snuggled into her neck, and gave a big yawn. Slowly her scent was lulling him to sleep.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. I hope you all like it. Sesshoumaru is now showing his interest in Kagome. The more time he spends with her the more his interest is peeked.

I enjoy reading all your reviews and your comments. I do read all of them and as for all the questions if you just wait a little bit more they will all be answered.

In the next chapter, Kagome and Sesshoumaru's finally make it to Edo. Sesshoumaru has ideas on what he wants and Kagome fears taking him back to her era. Join me in the next chapter as our two least favorite people come back to confront Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

It took the group 3 days to get to Edo, it was by no means an easy trip. They were attacked at least four times. They either wanted the jewel shards that Kagome was carrying or they wanted to kill Sesshoumaru. Kagome was not going to submit to their desires and it was their deaths.

Kagome saw first-hand what Sesshoumaru could do when he was pissed. The power that came from his body when he went after the ones that were sneaking up on her was evident. She sensed a power coming from behind her, she quickly dispatched her opponent and then turned around to find the source of that power.

Her eyes opened wide when she saw Sesshoumaru glowing a pale yellow in color. His hair was moving on its own since there was no wind blowing through the area. What she learned was his tail was also floating up and his eyes looked white in color.

Now this confused her because she always thought that if Sesshoumaru's beast was in control that his eyes would be red, like Inuyasha's, but his were white. She turned her attention back to the Youkai that were after her, knowing that her back was covered.

During their travel, Kagome, has gotten to know Sesshoumaru a little more. They would go off together and just talk. She would learn something new about Youkai and he would satisfy his curiosity about her.

Most of his questions Kagome managed to skirt around the true answers. She knew that he was not happy with her about this, but it was the best that she could do. She was not ready to tell Sesshoumaru where she came from. She kept that a secret to all except her own pack.

So, to take his mind off his frustrations with her she has gotten him to show her some new moves with a sword.

She had to stroke his ego a little to get him to do it but in the end, he was a very good instructor. The only thing was… she was finding it hard to concentrate on what he was saying, especially when he takes off his haori and juban to train.

His perfect body would make her drool and she would advert her eyes whenever he sensed that she was checking out his body. She was sure that he noticed her doing this because he would make every effort to flex his muscles in front of her.

While Kagome was walking towards the village, she was getting hot and bothered. Her cheeks were turning a bright red from her thoughts. She was brought out of her mussing when she heard, "Miko, are you not feeling well? Your cheeks are flushed."

Kagome swallowed hard, she was not about to tell him what she was thinking about that turned her cheeks red, she turned her mind to the task at hand. It will not do to get excited over a male that will never show her any interest. He only rode on her shoulder because she placed him there not because he jumped there or wanted to be near her. "Yes, I'm fine, just thinking. We should be reaching the village by this afternoon."

Sesshoumaru was smelling the little miko's arousal while he looked at her. Her cheeks were bright red and she was thinking about something that was very interesting to her. Her arousal told him that the images were pleasing.

He was hoping that she was thinking about him. The looks she was giving him when he instructs her with her sword told him that she was interested in what she was seeing. He made it a point to make sure that she saw as much of his physic as possible.

When she initially asked him to teach her he was reluctant to do so. When he protested that she did not have a sword she pulled a pin out of her hair, saying an incantation, it transformed the pin back into a sword. He was amazed that she was carrying her weapons concealed on her body and he was wondering where else she was hiding them.

His beast provided him with some wonderful images on where he thought her weapons were hidden. He shook his head to get rid of the image. He could not afford to lose control at this point.

He was sitting on her shoulder when he looked around the area. There was a rather large village up ahead and he thought that this was the village that she was heading towards.

Sesshoumaru opened his senses and scanned the area. He did not want any surprises before reaching the village. His instincts were on high alert. He was sensing something in the area but he was unable to pick up on its location. It remained elusive and just outside of his range of sensing. He has a feeling that his brother was nearby and he was not happy. This only meant that he was going to try and kill him or the little miko. But knowing that corpse miko, she will want the little miko dead.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru's instincts could not have been more right. Inuyasha was in the forest watching his ex-friends making their way to the old miko's village. He was alone while he thought about what happened on this trip.

He has lost his pack, his friends deserted him because he chose Kikyou as his mate. He never thought that they would ever leave his side but they did. But what surprised him the most was the anger that Kagome was showing him.

Did she find out that he has mated Kikyou? He could not fathom how she found out. He was very careful when he had his tryst with his beloved. He knew that she would never give him pups but he has a plan for that. He was going to get Kagome to give him pups. She was after all a bitch in his pack and if he wanted to pup her then it was his right as alpha.

Inuyasha moved from his hiding place and followed his former pack, he needs to find out what Kagome's next move was going to be. He must find a way to subdue her. He was nothing without his pack and he was determined to get them back.

He jumped running through the forest to get closer to the village. He needs to find Kikyou so they could come up with a plan to defeat Kagome.

But as the hanyou ran towards his mate the Saimyosho were following his movements. Naraku was not going to give up on the miko, he was bound and determined to capture her, for his own twisted pleasures.

-oOo-

The little pack finally made it to Edo. Kagome noticed that when she got closer to the village, there was a new barrier set up. She was wondering why Kaede would put a new barrier around the area while they were making their way towards her hut.

Kagome noticed right away that as soon as they entered the village Sesshoumaru moved closer to her neck. She also felt his tail going around the back of her neck, she shivered and reached up to scratch the tickle that his fur gave her.

She rubbed her neck, moving his tail away from the sensitive area. When the tail went back to that sensitive area, she said under her breath, "Stop that!" and removed his tail again.

Sesshoumaru beast was having fun. It enjoyed making the miko squirm when his tail gently tickled her. It was totally out of character for Sesshoumaru to do this but his beast has found a way to get his way while he was still in control.

Sesshoumaru felt when the little miko touched his tail and that's when he noticed what his beast was doing. He also heard her sharp reprimand and moved his tail away from the sensitive area on her neck. He felt the miko relax when he moved his tail while she continued walking.

Kagome was finally approaching Kaede's hut when she saw the old miko standing there, waiting for them. She smiled a warm smile, she always thought of Kaede as her grandmother. She was happy to see her when she stopped in front of the old miko, "Hello Kaede-baa-chan, we finally came back and we got three more jewel shards."

Kaede was happy to see Kagome. It was always a relief to have her back. She looked around and noticed that there was one member missing from the group, she turned her only eye towards the younger miko. Then she noticed the tiny Youkai Lord sitting on her shoulder, and bowed respectfully, "Greetings oh Lord of the Western Lands, welcome to our humble village."

Kagome saw the inquiring eye of Kaede, "Let's go inside and talk Kaede-baa-chan."

Kaede nodded her understanding, turning around she went back into her hut with the pack following her. Everyone sat around the fire and Sesshoumaru for some reason was staying on Kagome's shoulder. Kagome found this strange but she must find a way to get away from him so she could go home.

Kaede noticed that Kagome was deep in thought. She thought that she should ask her questions to get her talking, "Kagome, what has happened? Where is Inuyasha?"

Kagome was hearing the low and steady growl coming from Sesshoumaru at the mention of his brother's name. Kagome looked up and started to explain what happened when they were traveling.

By the time Kagome was done Kaede was clearly upset at what Inuyasha did to the little miko. Then she heard Kagome ask, "Kaede-baa-chan do you happen to know how to break the spell that is on Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Kaede looked at the Youkai Lord and started to think. This was a very powerful spell and she has never come across anything like this before. "I'm sorry Kagome but I have no idea how to break this spell, and I'm afraid that I don't know of anyone with the knowledge to break it."

Kagome was disappointed that Kaede didn't know how to break this spell, but what was worse, is that she didn't know if her Jii-san will have the information she needed at the shrine. She didn't have a choice now, she made up her mind to go home.

She sat there and talked with Kaede for a little while longer, and then she heard, "Kagome you know that Inuyasha is in the area. He came back a few days ago. I knew that something was wrong when he didn't come near the village. I sensed a change in him and I also noticed that my sister was with him. I'm aware that you noticed the new barrier that is around the village. We will no longer allow him to enter the village and Kikyou is not welcomed here."

This was not good. She needed to get home and if Inuyasha found her he could destroy the well. She was not about to let him do that. She finally understood why there was a new barrier around the village. She didn't blame Kaede in the least for doing that. Inuyasha has earned their distrust because of his actions.

At that moment, Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru leaped away from her shoulder and went outside. _'Finally, he is going to take care of business and its time for me to leave.'_

Kagome waited for a few minutes, to make sure that Sesshoumaru left the area. When she was positive that he was far enough away, she stood, "I'm going home, tell Sesshoumaru to stay here until I return. I don't know how long it's going to take me to find the answer, to cure Sesshoumaru, but when I do I'll return."

Sango and Miroku understood what Kagome was saying, but before she left the hut Sango said, "Kagome you need to take your extra bow. At least that way I know that you will have some protection with you if you run into Inuyasha."

Kagome agreed with her sister's suggestion, she went to the back of the hut and grabbed her extra bow and quiver. When she returned, she left in a hurry while they wished her luck.

Kagome stood outside and stretched her senses. She did not detect Sesshoumaru anywhere near the village and took off towards the well. She was moving fast while she hurried towards her destination. She was keeping her senses open, making sure that she scanned for Inuyasha. She knew that if Inuyasha was here so was Kikyou.

Kagome was nearing the well and slowed her pace. Entering the clearing where the well was located, she sensed something that did not feel right to her, then she reached for an arrow and started her spell.

She needed to protect the well while she was home. If Inuyasha destroyed the well before she came back she will be trapped in the future. She could not let him do that. She has a responsibility to complete the jewel and get rid of Naraku. He was the number one reason why she must come back.

When Kagome was done with her incantations, she quickly turns and catches the arrow that was heading straight for her. She got rid of the spell that was on it and then she threw it away from her. She turns, looking for the one that sent it her way.

This was not good, Kikyou appeared right in front of her, she was notching another arrow and was pointing it straight at her. She saw when Inuyasha appeared next to Kikyou and withdrew Tetsusaiga from its sheath. She stood her ground when she heard Inuyasha say, "Bitch! Where do you think you're going? You have something that belongs to me and I want it."

Kagome's features became hard, there was no way she was going to give the jewel to that idiot, "I have nothing that belongs to you. So why are you even here Inuyasha? Do you think that if you get rid of me that the others will return to you?"

Inuyasha growled, stepping forward, he was not happy about losing his pack, this bitch has no right to take his pack away from him. She was not going anywhere if he has any say in it. "It's about time that you stop this bullshit Kagome. You had your little fun but now it's time to get back on the road. We have jewel shards to find and you are not going home so you can spend time with that hobo guy."

Kagome was not in the mood for this particular argument with him, "Inuyasha, you are in no position to tell me what to do. You are no longer my alpha and I refuse to listen to you. You have what you wanted so why don't you leave with your little corpse and leave me alone."

Inuyasha anger grew, he was preparing to attack with the wind scar. "Bitch! You belong to me! You are part of my pack and you don't tell me where you are going. I say what we are going to do and I say we are going to go after more shards. You will take your place as a bitch in this pack and submit to your alphas."

Kagome laughed, she couldn't believe that he was telling her to submit to that bitch as her alpha, no way was she was going to do that, "You are not my alpha, nor is that corpse my alpha. She is not even alive, what makes you think that I will obey you? Only an idiot will mate something dead and expect to have a life with it."

Inuyasha growled at her remark, "You think that I don't know that? I know very well that Kikyou can never provide me with pups. That's what I have you for bitch. As a female in my pack it is my right to pup as many of my females that I want. That will be your role in all of this. You will bare me pups and Kikyou will raise them."

Kagome was shocked to hear his plans for her, "What makes you think that I will bare you any pups? I refuse you bastard! Go find yourself another bitch to be your breeding machine, because this bitch refuses."

Inuyasha lost all manner of thought, he raised his sword up to attack the bitch in front of him. Kagome noticed what he was going to do, and yelled, "Tetsusaiga!"

Kagome's voice has a profound effect on Inuyasha's sword when it started to vibrate violently in his hand. He was forced to lower the sword, desperately trying to hold on to it, while it violently shook. The sword wanted to leave his hand when it finally transformed back into its normal rusty state.

Inuyasha's eyes opened wide, his sword never did this before. He tried to transform it back but it would not transform for him. He lifted his eyes, saying in a deadly voice, "What have you done?"

Kagome observed what the sword did when she heard Inuyasha's question. "I did nothing to your sword, I simply called its name and the sword recognized what you were doing. Remember Inuyasha, your father created that sword to protect your ningen mother, for you to use it against me, it will not work. The sword was meant to protect the living, not the dead."

Inuyasha could not believe what he was hearing. His sword was useless against Kagome so he put it back in its sheath as he cracked his knuckles. He attacked, yelling, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

Kagome saw the attack coming her way. She stuck the arrow, she has in her hand, into the ground, while a powerful barrier was placed around her and the well. She was not going to take the chance of Inuyasha destroying her only way home, she pulled another arrow and sent it towards his attack.

Kagome's arrow hit true, she destroyed his attack and made him jump from where he stood to get out of the way of her attack. Kagome was no longer the weak little girl that she used to be. Gone were her feelings for Inuyasha when he betrayed her in the worst ways. She will not submit to a weakling like him.

But Kagome must split her concentration between the two that she was battling against when Kikyou attacked her again.

Kikyou was observing what was going on, she was irritated that her reincarnation was besting Inuyasha. She needed to get rid of this girl and get her hands on the jewel that she possessed. If they managed to kill her she will also get the rest of her soul back. She will finally be complete and the girl's powers will finally be hers to command. It was the only way that she, herself, will be able to get rid of Naraku.

Kikyou got another arrow and went after her reincarnation. She needed to break the barrier that she has put around the well. If she destroyed the well she will break her reincarnations spirit and then she will be able to kill her. She aimed her arrow, while the girl's back was turned to her, and let it fly.

Kikyou was watching her arrow, while it was heading towards its target. It was almost to the girl when out of nowhere something white came in and destroyed her arrow. She was angered beyond control, she turned heated eyes towards the miniature Youkai Lord that dared to get in her way.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was hiding in the forest when he observed the little miko leaving the elder miko's hut. He knew that the little miko was waiting for him to leave her side, she wanted to go home and as long as he was sitting on her shoulder she was not going anywhere.

He sensed his brother in the forest and he knew that he was close. The corpse miko was with Inuyasha and there is no doubt that there will be trouble with the half breed. He was close to the village, this much he could tell, but the corpse miko was keeping their location a secret for the moment.

He was hiding in a tree when he saw the little miko leave. She took off towards the forest and he followed. He was curious to see where she lived and he was determined to follow her. He knew that she has no desire to take him with her but he was not about to be left behind.

His little miko was traveling fast through the forest. He was amazed at her speed. He was having a hard time keeping up with her but continued to chase her. He sensed when she stopped up ahead and quickly made his way towards her location.

Sesshoumaru stopped on a tree branch and looked at where Kagome was standing. He could tell that she was doing something to the arrow she held in her hand because it was glowing a bright pink.

His senses went wild when he saw an arrow heading in the direction of the miko. It was traveling too fast for him to intercept. He feared for the miko's life when he saw her turn and catch the arrow with her bare hand. The dark glow around the arrow was disbursed when she broke its spell.

Sesshoumaru was amazed at the power that she held. She was full of surprises and he was wondering what else she could do. He decided to stay in the trees and watch. This encounter with the corpse miko will prove to be interesting.

Sesshoumaru watched as the little miko took care of his idiot brother, but when she called out Tetsusaiga's name, the sword stopped its attack. It was fighting against Inuyasha not to hurt the girl. When it transformed back to its original form he was amazed. He has never seen the sword do this before, it was like she has command over the sword, not Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru thought about this for a few seconds and he decided to table that thought for later evaluation. His attention was needed because his brother attacked the little miko again. This time he got to see the power of her arrow against his brother, he was happy to see that it contained the same energy that she put into all her arrows, when she fought against another Youkai.

This made Sesshoumaru proud because the little miko was taking his advice to heart. If she could stand up to Inuyasha there is no one who she would back down to. It made her a powerful alpha in his eyes and someone to take notice of.

Then Sesshoumaru noticed an arrow going towards the little miko while her back was turned, his eyes were turning blood red from anger. He took off, pulling his sword from its sheath, raising it high over his head. He made it just in time to destroy the arrow and turned heated eyes toward the corpse miko. She was beginning to be a nuisance in his eyes while he gathered his energy. He was not going to let her attack his miko again.

It was a cowardly act shooting someone in the back. Not even he would do something so dishonorable as to attack someone while their back was turned. He preferred to face his enemy and see the whites of their eyes. He wanted the satisfaction of them knowing who killed them.

-oOo-

Kagome felt power coming from behind her, she sent another arrow towards Inuyasha. While he was busy dodging her attack, she turned just in time to see Sesshoumaru destroying the arrow that was coming straight for her. She noticed when Sesshoumaru attacked Kikyou and when Inuyasha jumped to her defense to move her out of harm's way.

Kagome knew that her arrows will not be enough to defeat Inuyasha, she pulled the pin from her hair and transformed her sword. She gave it a turn in her hand and she was ready to fight. She ran and stood by Sesshoumaru's side, then they faced off against Inuyasha and Kikyou.

Inuyasha placed Kikyou back down on the ground and faced his brother. He pulled his sword from its sheath and to his surprise the sword would not transform for him. It was worthless to him now, he put it back in its sheath and said, "So Sesshoumaru, I see that you are still hanging around Kagome. Why are you with her? Surely you can tell that she is a worthless bitch. She always needs to be saved and she can't fight on her own. The only thing she is good for is to detect jewel shards."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at his idiot brother. He has no clue to what the little miko could do. "You really are an idiot Inuyasha, you have been traveling with this miko for a long time and you have no idea what she is capable of. She is far more powerful than that corpse you have next to you. I can break her pitiful arrows with just a swing of my sword. What makes you think that this miko is worthless? From what I have observed of her skills, she is a true alpha for her pack.

"You on the other hand were never alpha. You never cared about their welfare and your only concern is for a dead wench that is cold to the touch and can never procreate. So, who is the worthless one here?"

Inuyasha didn't like what his brother was telling him. He knew that Kagome was not that powerful and went after Sesshoumaru. He was the one standing in his way from getting his pack back and he was going to defeat him once and for all.

But Inuyasha never thought that Kagome would defend his brother, until she came after him with a sword. He barely got out of the way of her attack, it cut his haori and she nicked his skin. His wound burned while he jumped away from her. He landed on one knee, clutching his chest in pain.

Inuyasha was running out of options, he got his finger full of blood and yelled, "Blades of Blood!"

Kagome attacked Inuyasha for going after Sesshoumaru. She was still responsible for protecting him and she almost got him with her sword. He was not the fighter he thought he was and gave him a nice scar. It will take days for him to heal that wound when she turned around and came back into a fighting stance.

She was keeping an eye on Kikyou. She did not trust the bitch and she was positive that she will go after Sesshoumaru the first chance she got. She saw when Inuyasha threw his blades of blood, she moved with speed, grabbing Sesshoumaru and moving out of harm's way. At the same time Kikyou sent an arrow in her direction, while Kagome back flipped to avoid the shot.

Kagome let go of Sesshoumaru and sent another blast of her Reiryoku towards Inuyasha. She felt Sesshoumaru moving from behind her, she sensed that he was going after Kikyou. She knew that her back was being covered and continued fighting against the hanyou.

The battle was intense as Sesshoumaru fought against the undead. He was protecting the little miko as best he could. He was moving very fast around the corpse miko. His whip would come out to do some damage to her fake body.

Kikyou has several cuts on her face and hands when she tried to attack the Youkai Lord. He was moving too fast for her to use her arrows on him. She finally noticed when he came close enough to her, she took her bow and managed to land a hit on his body.

Sesshoumaru was hit hard when he landed on the ground. He was trying to get up but his body was having a hard time moving. It appears that the wench put a spell on him to keep him immobile. Then he noticed when the corpse miko took aim at his chest.

Kikyou wanted nothing more than to get rid of this Youkai. If she could get rid of him then Inuyasha will inherit the Western Lands and all its wealth. She will have everything that her heart desired and servants waiting on her hand and foot. She took aim and then let go of her arrow. Her spell was still holding the Youkai Lord in place and he was still struggling to move out of the way.

Kagome noticed when Sesshoumaru went down. She also observed that Kikyou was about to attack him, she reached for the Shuriken in her belt and sent it towards Inuyasha. She quickly turned, notched an arrow, and sent it to intercept Kikyou's arrow.

Kagome's arrow split Kikyou's arrow in two while it continued to go towards her target. Kikyou never noticed the arrow that Kagome shot at her because she was only paying attention to the Youkai Lord. The arrow hit her shoulder, when she fell to her knees, crying out in pain.

Inuyasha hearing that his mate was in danger hurried over to her side. There was an arrow in her shoulder and it was letting the souls that were in her body leave. He needed to get the arrow out of her shoulder but when he went to remove the arrow he could not. There was a powerful barrier surrounding the arrow and it burned his hand when he grabbed it.

He turned heated eyes towards Kagome, "What did you do bitch?"

Kagome huffed, this male was totally clueless to the things going on around him, "There is a barrier around my arrow that will prevent you and Kikyou from removing it. Slowly all the souls in her body will be set free while she slowly starts to return to her original form. You left me with no choice. Kikyou should have never attacked Sesshoumaru when I have repeatedly told you that he was under my protection. Now leave before I pin you to a tree for far longer than 50 years."

Inuyasha didn't know what to do. He couldn't remove the arrow and his mate was getting weaker by the minute. He grabbed her and leaped back into the forest heading away from Kagome. He must find a way to get rid of this arrow before it killed Kikyou. He never knew that Kagome would have the guts to kill anyone in cold blood. She was almost acting like his hated half-brother. He vowed that he will make her pay for this and continued moving away from Kagome.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief when Inuyasha and Kikyou left the area. Yes, she put a barrier around the arrow to prevent Inuyasha from removing it now. If Kikyou survived the next few hours her spell will weaken and Inuyasha will be able to pull it out, but not before getting his hands purified. She made sure that she made it as painful as possible. The bitch deserved what she got for going after Sesshoumaru.

' _Sesshoumaru'_ , thought Kagome, quickly turning around she went towards the fallen Youkai Lord. She saw blood on his body, she quickly kneeled and said, "Sesshoumaru you're hurt, let me see your wounds."

Sesshoumaru was getting up from the ground. He saw the little miko coming towards him when he heard her words. He huffed, clearly irritated at her fussing over his wounds. It was nothing that his body couldn't handle, while he stated, "This wound is nothing, and it will soon heal."

Kagome growled low in her throat when she heard what he said, "Sesshoumaru if Kikyou gave you that wound it will be hard for your body to heal the holy power that she used. Now let me see your wounds."

Sesshoumaru crossed his arms over his chest and turned away from the miko. He knew that she was right but he did not want to give in to her demands. He felt himself being picked up and gave a vicious growl, "Release me miko!"

Kagome gave her own growl in return, "Calm down Sesshoumaru, I just want to help you heal your wounds. You are acting like a spoiled child that doesn't want to take his medicine." Kagome had enough of Sesshoumaru's attitude and concentrated, she let a soothing aura go over his body. It relaxed him completely, while she tended to his wounds.

Sesshoumaru was struggling in the miko's hand while he tried to get free. Then he felt her powers going over his body and it soothed him completely. He went limp in her hands when his body relaxed. He heard the little miko gently growling at him when he was almost put to sleep.

Kagome knew that he was being stubborn. She knew enough about holy burns to know that it took a Youkai a long time to heal those kinds of wounds. If she did not help him, it could get infected and he could die. Once he relaxed in her hand she sent a pulse of her healing powers over his body and healed all his wounds.

When she was sure that she healed his injuries, she put him back on the ground, and watched him like hawk.

Sesshoumaru shook his head once he was set free. The damn little miko was good. She knew that her aura relaxed him and she used it against his body. Once his composure back he asked, "Where are you going, miko?"

Kagome sighed and sat down on the ground. She rubbed her face with her hands, and thought about how to answer his question. Something was telling her that he was not going to be a good little Youkai and stay behind. He was going to demand to go with her and she was not sure if he could make it through the well. Shippou never could travel with her back home, it would always leave him on this side of the well.

She turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru, "I was going home."

Sesshoumaru knew that this is where she was going. He has told her that he was going to go with her. He thought that he would just reiterate his earlier decision, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru will accompany you to your home."

Kagome groaned when she heard his words. She took her hand and ran it through her hair. It was a nervous habit that she developed while she thought about his statement. There was no way out of this situation. She must tell him the truth about where she lives after she got assurances that he will keep her secret.

Sesshoumaru could tell that the miko was thinking hard about something. She was trying to come to a decision and it looked like she has finally made it. He stood there and waited to see what she was going to do.

Kagome closed her eyes, she was praying that this conversation will go well with the Youkai Lord, "Sesshoumaru, what I'm about to tell you, is not to be repeated to anyone. The only ones that know about this is my pack and they have all given me their word to never repeat this.

"You once told me that you respected me as alpha of my pack and that you have a responsibility to protect me because it is your right. You also said that I have an ally in you. I want your word as Lord of the Lands that you will keep my secret."

Sesshoumaru raised an elegant eyebrow, whatever she has to tell him was very important to her and she wanted reassurances that he will keep that secret. "You have my word of honor as Lord of these Lands that I will keep your secret Miko. What is spoken between us will stay between us."

Kagome was happy that she got his promise to keep quiet. She was nervous because it was going to be hard for him to believe her story, "Sesshoumaru, I'm sure that you have notice that my manner of dress is different from those of these lands. I speak differently, and I sometimes say things that is hard for you to understand what I mean. Though I do try to remember where I am so that I don't use the language that I grew up with.

"This might be hard for you to understand and accept as truth, but this well is the way I return home. Inuyasha knows this and if he destroys this well while I'm home I will never be able to return."

Sesshoumaru jumped and made himself comfortable on her knee, while he listened to the little miko. What she was saying was true, he caught no deceit in her words, but he was caught by surprise that the well was her way home. "Does the well hold magic that allows you to travel to your home from here?"

Kagome giggled saying, "You can say that. The well acts like a portal. Well more like a time portal. It allows me to travel between here and my home."

"But where is your home miko?" Sesshoumaru was still a little confused about what she was saying.

Kagome took a deep breath to calm her nerves, "I live here Sesshoumaru."

Now Sesshoumaru was totally confused, there was no way she could live here, "I don't understand?"

"Sesshoumaru I do not come from this era, I come from the future. I was born approximately 500 years in the future. I live here on these grounds that will become my home in 500 years." Kagome watched to see how Sesshoumaru would react to this little bit of information.

Sesshoumaru took everything that the little miko was saying into his mind, _'That would explain her mannerism and why she is so different. There are things that she knows that I have no knowledge of.'_ He looked up at the miko, "Tell me miko how did you come to be here?"

Kagome sighed and started to tell him how she came to be in this era, "When I was 15, I was pulled into the well by a centipede Youkai. She wanted the jewel that I had in my body. I never knew that I had the jewel. In my era, Youkai's and miko's are stories told to children, so I never knew that I was a miko, until I came here.

"I met Kaede when I came through the well. The villagers caught me by Inuyasha when he was pinned to the sacred tree. They captured me and that's when I was told that I was the reincarnation of Kikyou. At first I didn't believe what they were telling me. I thought that this was just a dream and that I hit my head when I fell down the well.

"I finally got a reality check when that centipede Youkai came after me again. She destroyed half the village before I could lure it away. She followed me deep into the forest as I ran. She finally caught up with me when I was by Inuyasha.

"He was awake and made the mistake of calling me Kikyou. When I was about to be killed, I pulled out the arrow that was pinning Inuyasha to the tree, setting him free."

Kagome continued to explain what happened next while Sesshoumaru listened to everything she was saying, _'So she is the reason why the half breed was freed from his prison. She wasn't trained to be a miko yet she holds tremendous powers if she is the vessel for the Tama.'_

Then she said something that caught his attention, "You say that the half breed is able to travel through the well to your era? How is this possible?"

Kagome thought about that for a few minutes, "I have a theory on how he can pass through the well. I believe the necklace he wears allows him to travel through the well. It's connected to me in some way. But when I return this time I will be sealing the well from my side. I don't want him coming after me and endangering my family if he gets through the barrier that I will place around the well.

"But there is a possibility that you may not be able to travel through the well. I have tried to take Shippou with me before and the well has refused to let him through. So, you must understand that if the well refuses to let you through I need you to stay here near the village. With the barrier that Kaede has put around the village it will protect you until I return."

Sesshoumaru now understood why she was being so hesitant about telling him where she lived. She held knowledge of the future yet to come and she would be an asset to anyone that can make her submit to them. He also understood that if the barrier that is the magic of the well does not allow him to pass he must stay here and wait for her.

Sesshoumaru beast was not happy about this turn of events. He didn't want to leave the miko's side. "I understand. I will keep your secret miko but I will try to pass through the well with you. If it will allow me through then I will stay with you but if it does not, then I will wait for you here."

Kagome thought that she could live with that compromise, "Fair enough. I need to place a barrier up around the well, when that's done, then we can try it."

They both got up while Kagome went to her arrow that was in the ground. She kneeled on one knee and pulled out her Shuriken to cut the palm of her hand.

Sesshoumaru noticed what she was doing and asked, "Miko what are you doing? Are you trying to hurt yourself?"

Kagome laughed at Sesshoumaru's comment, "No Sesshoumaru I'm not trying to hurt myself, watch."

Sesshoumaru observed while the miko put her hand on the arrow, she was allowing her blood to run down its shaft and onto the ground. Once there was a pool of blood she pulled her hand away and healed the wound. She started her incantation as she reinforced the barrier that was around them.

Sesshoumaru was amazed at what he saw. The pink barrier turned red when she created a blood barrier. This was the most powerful barrier that anyone can make. Then he has a thought, if he added his own powers to the miko's then her barrier would be that much more powerful.

With his mind made up he walked up to the arrow and cut his palm, he put the palm of his hand on the shaft of the arrow, letting his blood mix with hers. Another barrier went up on the inside of the one she just put up. It made her barrier even stronger as they both turned and made their way to the well.

While Kagome was walking towards the well, a thought came to her mind, _'I really don't want Sesshoumaru to stay behind. If he was to stay here Inuyasha and Kikyou will go after him. If_ _Tetsusaiga regains its power it will be able to break the barrier that Kaede has placed over the village, and if that happens then many of the villagers will be hurt._

' _Inuyasha doesn't care who he hurts as long as he gets what he is after. I will feel better if Sesshoumaru came with me. I will have peace of mind that he will be well protected and that the village will be safe until I return.'_ She liked this thought, and made up her mind. One way or another Sesshoumaru must go with her.

They finally made it to the well, Kagome reaches down and picks up Sesshoumaru. She holds him close to her chest, between her breasts, and steps up on the rim of the well. She closes her eyes and said a silent prayer, _'Please, I have never asked for much in my life, but I have this one request, please allow Sesshoumaru to come with me. That way I know I will protect the village and Sesshoumaru from harm.'_

Kagome held her breath and jumped into the well. She moved Sesshoumaru closer to her chest while she lowered her head to surround him. She was going to make sure that he went with her.

-oOo-

Now Sesshoumaru understands where Kagome comes from and why she was so hesitant about him going with her. Inuyasha is as stubborn as usual and completely clueless to what is going on around him. If he only heard himself talk he would think of himself as a fool.

I do love all the reviews for this story. And you are all full of questions. But like I said the answers to your questions is not too far off. They will be answered by the chapters that I post. If I find a question that is not answered then I will address that issue separately.

In the next chapter, we shall see if Sesshoumaru can go through the well. When Kagome arrives home she is told about a gang that has taken up residence in her area. Kagome doesn't like it and sets out to get rid of them. Tempers flare and words are misunderstood.

Until the next time 

Ja ni!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

To Kagome's surprise when she jumps in, Sesshoumaru was still with her when the blue light engulfs them. She flew freely through the air, while she went back home. When she lands on the other side of the well she climbs up the rope ladder that her grandfather placed there for her.

She sat on the rim of the well, and breathes a sigh of relief, then she pulls Sesshoumaru away from her chest.

Sesshoumaru was surprised when the little miko pulls him closer to her chest. She has her arms wrapped around his body while he snuggles between her very soft breasts. His beast was happy, he moves his head and nuzzles her in her cleavage. He turns his attention back to the front when he sees a bright light and felt the powerful magic of the well. This was ancient magic that even he could not duplicate.

They were floating through a blue light when he hears the little miko whisper, "Sesshoumaru, be prepared for when we get there. The smell is a lot worse than in the village." He didn't understand what she was talking about, but then he notices that the blue light was slowly going away. He feels when she gently lands on solid ground, then he looks up.

It appears to him that they were in some sort of hut. The well was protected in this enclosure when he feels the little miko climbing out of the well. The moment they were out of the well, the stench hit his nose, he turns and buries his face into her chest again. The smell was horrid; he didn't think that it could smell worse than the village, but he was wrong.

Kagome gave an internal chuckle when she felt Sesshoumaru nuzzling her chest. Her cheeks grew hot when she felt this, she was trying with all her might to remain in control. It felt good and she was aroused by it.

She did warn him about the scents in her era. He ignored her warnings and stayed where he was looking forward. She stayed sitting down, letting him get used to the smells and said, "Sesshoumaru there are a few rules that I request for you to follow. One is that no one here in my era has ever seen a Youkai. So, you cannot let yourself be seen by anyone. The ramifications of you being seen can have dire consequences.

"Two, you cannot kill anyone or anything while you are with me. The laws in my era are different than in yours. Where you can kill anyone or anything that disrespects you or gets in your way, it is not freely done here.

"Third, you cannot go off on your own. There are dangers here that are worse than the ones in the feudal era. I can protect you as long as you are with me. If you leave my side, I can't guarantee that you will be safe. Please, if you follow these three simple rules you will remain safe."

Sesshoumaru was irritated about being told what to do. But if it would make her feel better then he will agree to her request. "Very well miko I will do as you ask. But know this, if someone tries to hurt you, or I feel that I am threaten in any way, I will not hesitate to defend myself against the threat."

Kagome agreed, then she gets up and opens the doors to the well house. When she did Sesshoumaru almost passed out from the stench, he quickly moves from her arms, to her neck and gets close to her. Her scent calmed him and his beast, plus he could breathe a little better.

Sesshoumaru was riding on Kagome's shoulder while he looked at the place she comes from. His eyes went wide when he notices all the tall structures in the area. There were moving metal boxes that were rushing by, on what looks like a black road. There were hundreds of ningens walking by very fast, never slowing down from the person in front of them.

While he continues to look around the area he noticed that the forest was gone from the village they just left. The lush green grass and trees that was his home was also gone along with all the flowers that Rin was so fond of picking. It was replaced by stone and something else he could not identify.

Sesshoumaru noticed all of this in a matter of seconds when he observed the little miko walking towards a very small house. His curiosity got the better of him when he asked, "Miko where are we?"

Kagome did not even break her stride and answered, "You are in the city of Tokyo. This is what Edo will become in 500 years."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this. That small little village where her pack rested will become this in 500 years? That cannot be. He did not understand what was going on but he was determined to find out.

Kagome walks into her home and took off her shoes at the door. She then yells, "Mama! I'm home."

Sesshoumaru growls, covering his ears, she yelled so loudly that she hurt them. They were still ringing when he hears her mother answer, "Hello honey! I'm in the kitchen." Kagome walks to where her mother was located with Sesshoumaru still on her shoulder.

Sesshoumaru noticed that the little miko's home was very small. It was nothing compared to the western shiro, he stays on her shoulder, looking around his new environment. He was fascinated with all the different things that he noticed in her little home. He wanted to ask many questions about what he was seeing, but knew enough to wait, to voice his questions to the little miko.

Kagome enters the kitchen and greets her mother. Asumi turns from doing the morning dishes and faces her daughter. She was about to give her a hug when she noticed something sitting on her shoulder. She saw it moving, when she screams and jumps back. Pointing at Kagome's shoulder, with shaking fingers, she asks, "Kagome what do you have on your shoulder?"

Kagome forgot that Sesshoumaru was riding on her shoulder, "Mom, I would like to introduce you to Lord Sesshoumaru, he is the Daiyoukai of the Western Lands. There is a spell that has been placed on him and I came home to talk to Jii-san. I want to see if any of the old scrolls, have anything in them on how to break this curse."

Asumi got her composure back and bows deeply to her honored guest, "Greetings milord and welcome to my humble home. My name is Asumi may I get you anything to drink, maybe some tea?"

Sesshoumaru covered his ears, the wench screamed when she saw him sitting on the little miko's shoulder. But he was amazed when she came back to her senses and greeted him with respect. He did not expect this from these ningens but he should have. This little miko was full of surprises, and replies, "No thank you."

Kagome got a soft towel, she folded it and then placed it on the table. She reached over and grabs Sesshoumaru, placing him on the towel, "Please stay here Sesshoumaru, I will be right back."

Sesshoumaru was not happy when the miko grabbed him and placed him on the table. But the seat she gave him was very soft and comfortable so he sat down to wait. He has no idea where the little miko was going but she left in a hurry. He then turns his attention to his surroundings, he was looking around the room they called the kitchen and it was fascinating. There were all types of machines in this place and each has a specific purpose.

He caught a glimpse of the flames coming from a metal box to the right, he noticed that the miko's mother was cooking over the fire. He observes her walking over to another box and when she opens it, there was all manner of food in there. He could feel the cold air that left the box and he was wondering how this was possible. He observed everything that the miko's mother was doing while he waited for the little miko to return.

-oOo-

Kagome went to relieve herself, with all the fighting that she was doing, she always forgot to go, now her stomach was screaming for her to go and do just that. When she was done, she rushed up to her room.

Kagome walked into her room and looked up at her wall, she has shelves there that was full of doll furniture. She figured that Sesshoumaru could use some of this furniture and grabs one of the more comfortable doll chairs she has sitting there. She also grabbed a small end table, some cups, and saucers that Sesshoumaru could use.

After she cleaned it of the dust that gathered on it, she ran back downstairs to where Sesshoumaru was located. She placed the chair on the table, along with the little table and the china that she managed to grab on her way down, while saying, "Sesshoumaru-sama, I think that you will find this chair to your liking."

Sesshoumaru looked at the _'chair'_ that the little miko brought for him to sit in. He has no idea what a chair is but it caught his interest. Letting his curiosity get the best of him he went to inspect it.

The chair was very big it has plenty of room for him to sit comfortably in. It has a high back and patted arms. A big cushion made up the bottom. The frame was made of dark wood, and you can see the intricate details that were carved into the wood. It was masterfully done. Such artistry could only be achieved by a master woodsman. It must have taken him a long time to carve this chair.

He placed his hand on the back of the chair and noticed how soft it was. It was nice soft leather and when he pushed down it felt soft. He sat down and thought that he was in heaven. He has never felt anything so soft against his body. It was soft yet firm. There was a place to rest his back and nodded his approval to the little miko.

Kagome smiled when she saw the expression on Sesshoumaru's face, it was the first time that she has seen him give a ghost of a smile when he approved of his new chair. She knew that they didn't have chairs in the feudal era, they still sit on the ground with pillows or tatami mats under them.

She then turns her attention to her mother and sat down at the table. She explained what happened to Inuyasha and Asumi was not happy with Inuyasha's behavior. You could see the anger in her eyes while she sat there and listened to her daughter.

Then Kagome started telling her mother about Sesshoumaru and how he came to have this spell cast on him. At that moment, she felt her Jii-san coming into the house. She prepared herself, she knew that he was going to freak when he saw Sesshoumaru.

Kagome was not disappointed when her Jii-san did exactly what she expected.

-oOo-

Jii-san came into the kitchen hoping for a hot cup of tea. He has been busy all morning at the shrine and he was tired. He walked in to see that his beautiful granddaughter has returned, "Ah Kagome! You're back from the Feudal era. How have you been?"

Kagome answered her Jii-san's question when she saw him sit down. When he looked back up at his granddaughter, he noticed that there was something small sitting next to her in a dolls chair. He looked closer at it, then states, "Kagome, aren't you a little old to be playing with dolls. Get your toys off the table they don't belong here."

Kagome's cheeks turned red when she hears Sesshoumaru's growls of anger for being called a doll. Jii-san opened his eyes when he saw the small figure next to his granddaughter move. He realized that it was not a doll but a Youkai. He put his hand inside his kimono and pulled out an ofuda, jumping to his feet, he quickly said his incantations and when he was done, he yelled, "Youkai be gone!" and threw his ofuda at the Youkai Lord.

Before Sesshoumaru could react, Kagome placed a barrier around his body to prevent him from attacking her Jii-san while her hand caught the ofuda in midflight.

Kagome glared daggers at her Jii-san, warning him not to do that again, "Jii-san, you will behave. He is an honored guest in this house and I expect you to show him the highest respect possible. I want to introduce you to Lord Sesshoumaru, Daiyoukai of the Western Lands."

Kagome then turned her attention to the little Youkai Lord, saying, "Sesshoumaru-sama I want you to meet my Jii-san, he is the head priest here at the shrine."

Sesshoumaru stood and greeted the elder Higurashi, he knew that he has no spiritual powers, he inclined his head and said, "Greetings."

Jii-san was shocked out of his mind. There was a miniature Youkai on his table, his mind went blank, he lost all his of his thoughts and sat back down, before his knees gave out from under him. He never acknowledged the Youkai Lord, a rude act in Kagome's eyes. He turns his eyes towards his granddaughter expecting her to explain.

Kagome sighed. She was embarrassed that her own family would treat Sesshoumaru like this, when she explains what is going on. When she was done with her story she said, "Jii-san, I need you to take me to where the old scrolls are being kept. I need to see if they contain a spell that I can use to break this curse. I have to return Lord Sesshoumaru to his normal form so he can continue to care for his lands."

During the time that Kagome was talking to her Jii-san, Asumi prepared the tea that the old man came after, she gave some to the little Youkai that was with her daughter. He was very gracious and offered his thanks.

Sesshoumaru noticed the cup that he was given to drink out of. It was made of very fine porcelain and it was of the highest quality. It was hand painted with a phoenix like dragon on the outside of the cup. He was wondering if the little miko could have these very nice things why was she living in such a small house. He did not understand a lot of things but he was going to find out. He has nothing but time, while he was here, to satisfy his curiosity about what was going on.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to the miko, she was asking to go and see the area that stored all the scrolls she needed access to.

Jii-san listened to everything that his granddaughter was saying. To say that her story was outrageous was an understatement. She has with her a miniature Youkai that was Lord to these lands. He has read in the scrolls that there was a powerful Youkai Lord that lived a long time ago. He was the main reason why plenty of people lived a peaceful life during that time. But what he didn't know, if he was the Lord that the scrolls talked about. The scrolls never gave names of the Youkai that they talked about only what was done to them.

Jii-san sighed and agreed to his granddaughter request. Finishing his tea, he escorted both to one of the shrine buildings. Sesshoumaru moved, forming his cloud underneath his feet, he floated once again to the miko's shoulder, while they followed the old man through the shrine.

Sesshoumaru was still fascinated with what he was seeing, he wanted to go out and explore the area but there was something that he must do first and that was to find a way to return to his normal form.

They were walking to the very back of the shrine when they finally reached one of the oldest buildings that was on the grounds. Jii-san opened the doors, you could hear them creak with the lack of lubricants. The building was large and there were shelves upon shelves of scrolls that the shrine accumulated over the centuries.

Jii-san walked over to one of the sections and stated, in an all-knowing voice, "In this section you will find scrolls that pertain to spells. If this spell existed back in the feudal era of Japan, then I should have a scroll telling me how to break said spell. I will leave you to your searching, I have to get back to my duties."

Kagome bowed to her Jii-san, acknowledging what he stated, then he left. She sighed, it was going to take them forever to find the right scroll, "Well we should get started, it's going to take us a long time to read and find the right scroll." Sesshoumaru agreed, forming his cloud under his feet, he will start at the top while Kagome started at the bottom.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru stayed in the building all day, not once leaving to take a break or to eat as they searched. They were reading scroll after scroll as they searched for the answers to their questions. There seemed to be thousands of scrolls that they must go through to find their answer.

Kagome grew frustrated, she sat back and rubbed her eyes. She was tried from reading so much. There was so much information going through her mind that it was almost overwhelming. She looks outside when she noticed that it was almost dark. The light in the building was going and it was becoming hard to read, "Sesshoumaru, I think we should call a halt to our search. The light is going and soon it will be dark outside. We can resume our search in the morning."

Sesshoumaru noticed how tired the little miko was. He could tell that she was tired and hungry. They have been reading scrolls for much of the day, she never once left him alone in this place to gather food or to go relieve herself.

Somehow her selfless acts were very much appreciated by him. She did not want him to be alone in such a strange place. He agreed with her statement and jumps on her shoulder. He settled himself close to her neck while they traveled back to her home.

They were passing by a very large tree and he recognized it. He was curious and asked, "Miko is this the same tree that the half breed was pinned to?"

Kagome stopped and looked at the tree, "Yes, this is the same tree. This tree is the only thing that will stay constant. My family has been caring for these lands for centuries, apparently, they knew what this tree meant and kept it safe.

"When I first arrived in the feudal era I spotted this tree and thought that I was home. I thought that if I could just reach the tree I will be able to find my house. But I was wrong, what I found was a boy with an arrow in his chest pinning him to this tree.

"My life changed forever when I freed him from this tree. I went from being an ordinary girl and going to school with my friends, to a person with tremendous responsibilities to a land that I have only read about because of something I did. If I didn't break that jewel in the first place, then none of this would be happening." A lone tear was seen, as it went down her cheek. She never noticed that she was crying while Sesshoumaru looked on with pained filled eyes.

' _She has been carrying a large burden for a long time. No female should have to suffer like this. It is a male's responsibility to make sure that the females are taken care of, she is to be protected and cared for, and anything like this should be taken on by the alpha of the pack. In her case, she had an alpha that put all that blame on her to keep her with him. She is trying to do the right thing to make sure she corrects her error but the guilt is eating her alive.'_ Sesshoumaru thought while he continued to listen to her.

Sesshoumaru understood all too well what she was feeling. The feeling of never being adequate to handle the trials of life, and his brother had a hand in creating what she was feeling.

Kagome started moving again so she could get to her home. She was greeted by her mother as soon as she walked inside, "Kagome, dinner will be ready in a few minutes, go upstairs and wash please."

Kagome's eyes open wide when she remembers that Sesshoumaru did not eat cooked meat. She turns to her mother, "Mama, Sesshoumaru-sama does not eat cooked meat. Do we have any meat that isn't cooked yet?"

Asumi stood there for a few minutes, she was thinking about how to accommodate her guest. She thought that she came up with an idea when she hears, "Miko it is all right, I will try this food that your mother is making. It has an interesting smell, and I find myself curious to see how it will taste."

Kagome was shocked that Sesshoumaru would even try eating cooked meat but she agreed. She turned and went upstairs to get ready for dinner. The first thing she did was provide Sesshoumaru with a bowl with clean water so he can wash.

Sesshoumaru was fascinated when he saw, what they called, the bathroom. The water came out of something metal in the wall, he also noticed that there was magic associated with it, he felt the hot water coming from there as well as cold. It was very strange to see this and he was wondering what type of magic this could be.

He took off his haori and juban and began to wash. The little miko gave him everything he needed to clean himself and the scent of the soap was very pleasing to his nose. When he was done, he felt that his skin was very soft to the touch. It was very pleasing to him but strange. He wondered how all of this could happen but he will table any questions that he has until he got some alone time with the little miko.

Finally, they were both ready for the evening meal. They both went downstairs with him perched on Kagome's shoulder. They were in the living room waiting for her mother to get the food on the table as Kagome was showing him what a television was.

When Sesshoumaru first saw it, he was ready to attack the thing because he thought it was about to attack the little miko. Kagome stopped his action and she began to explain what the television was, "Sesshoumaru, this is called a television, it is mainly used as entertainment but it can also be used for information."

Kagome grabbed the remote from the table and started to show Sesshoumaru how to operate the television. "This little box controls the television. The little red button here turns it on and off. You can use these buttons here to change the picture on the television. You can see anything you want. You can even see what is going on in another country."

"Another country?" asked Sesshoumaru, he was intrigued with what the little miko was saying.

Kagome remembered that they thought that the earth was not round. She walked over to a miniature world globe, she turned the thing, asking, "Sesshoumaru, what do you think that world looks like?"

Sesshoumaru had no idea where this came from but he knew the answer to that question, and simply stated, "Miko everyone knows that the earth is flat and being carried on the back of a giant tortoise."

Kagome smiles as she educates the Youkai Lord on the facts of the earth, "Sesshoumaru the earth is actually round. Do you see this ball here?"

Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, but he was doubtful about what the miko was telling him, when the miko continued, "This ball is a small depiction of what the earth looks like." Kagome then turned the ball until she found where they lived. "This right here is where we live, this is Japan and all of this," She pointed to the lands around Japan, "are the lands that have yet to be discovered in your era. Soon ningens will travel to these foreign lands and it will be the start of exploration. We will travel to these lands and we will learn much from these people. In today's world, we have relations with these other countries and in some instances, we help each other out.

"But there is still plenty of violence in the world. There are wars still taking place and many people are dying. The individual governments are trying to instill order in the world and get these people to stop their blood shed, but it's not working.

"The life that you know no longer exists in this time. Ningens have grown in great numbers and the Youkai of old are all gone. There are no Youkai left in the world today, and if they still do exist they are in hiding. So, the ningens of this era have never seen a Youkai, the only thing that they know about Youkai is what is told to them as bed time stories."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this, _'How can this be, where have all the Youkai gone to?'_ Sesshoumaru continues to listen to the little miko, while she was telling him about the world as she knew it.

-oOo-

Souta came home about 30 minutes ago. His mother sent him upstairs to get cleaned up for dinner. He did not want to stay at home but it seemed to mean a lot to his mother so he stayed. His friends were waiting for him and he needed to get this over with as soon as possible so he could leave.

The youngest of the Higurashi's was being influenced by gangs. A new gang has moved into the area and he has fallen in with the wrong crowd. His mother has tried desperately to get him to see what he was doing, but fitting in with his new friends was more important to him.

Souta thought that belonging to a powerful gang will get him what he wanted in life. The only thing that this was doing was setting him up to fail and he will wind up in jail unless something was done and soon.

He refused to listen to his mother and he never paid attention to his Jii-san. The old man never knew what he was talking about half the time and he could take care of himself. He was after all 14 and he can do anything that he wanted, because there was no one to stop him.

Souta came downstairs when he was ready for dinner. He heard someone talking in the living room and went to investigate. He saw his sister standing there by the table talking to herself. She appeared to have a doll sitting on her shoulder while she talking nonsense. Why she was talking about the history of the world, was beyond him, but he was about to have some fun with his older sister.

Souta knew that his sister never stood up for herself. Inuyasha told him that she was a weak bitch, and that the only thing she was good for, was to find jewel shards. Souta never knew that Kagome has been training to improve herself and was a lot more powerful than he gave her credit for.

Souta walks slowly into the living room, making sure that he did not make any noise as he went. When he was close enough he quickly reached out and grabbed the doll on her shoulder while he held it in his hand. He started laughing at his sister, but what he did not expect was the attack that came his way.

-oOo-

Kagome was standing there explaining the different countries to Sesshoumaru when his weight was gone from her shoulder. She heard his growls and she reacted solely on instincts.

Kagome quickly turned, punching the one who has taken Sesshoumaru from her in the chest. She landed on top of him with her hand wrapped around his throat and her other hand was around the wrist that was holding the Youkai Lord.

Souta was shocked when he was hit hard in the chest. He landed on his back, with the breath knocked out of him. When he opened his eyes, he saw that his sister was on top of him. The look in her eyes was enough to scare him half to death. He has never seen her eyes look so deadly.

Souta struggled to get free and said through gritted teeth, "Let go of me you bitch!" That was the wrong thing to say to Kagome and he was about to learn that lesson the hard way.

Kagome noticed that it was her brother who attacked Sesshoumaru. He was pinned to the floor when she heard what he called her. Her eyes opened wide and then her anger took over, "What is the meaning of this Souta? Why did you attack Lord Sesshoumaru? Release him now or you will pay dearly for it."

Souta refused to let the doll go, "What the fuck do you care! I think that you are too old to be playing with dolls and there is no way that I will give it back to you."

His statement made Kagome even angrier while her eyes were getting lighter. Kagome's powers grew, she used a binding spell and pinned her brother to the ground. The hand that was holding on to Sesshoumaru she zapped with her Reiryoku, that caused his hand to open and the Youkai Lord was set free.

Kagome got off her brother but he was not going anywhere. He was pinned to the ground until she released him, she turned to her attention to Sesshoumaru and asked, "Sesshoumaru-sama, are you all right?"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was not happy about being manhandled. The only thing keeping the little bastard alive was his promise to the little miko. He noticed that his scent was the same as the miko's so he deduced that he was her sibling.

He turned his eyes toward the miko when he felt her powers growing. Her eyes were changing colors as they went to a lighter blue. He felt when she released her Reiryoku but he was not injured by it. He jumped when he was released from the boys hold and he landed on the ground rubbing his arms while he answered, "I am well miko."

Kagome turned heated eyes towards her brother, his lack of respect towards her guest will not go unpunished by her, "Care to explain yourself?"

Souta turned his attention to the one his sister was talking to and to his surprise the doll was moving. It was a real Youkai and she was protecting it. He then heard her question, and said with an air of arrogance to his voice, "I don't have to explain myself to you. Release me now!"

Kagome was not happy with her brother. He has changed and she wanted to know why. She turned her heated eyes towards her mother and asked, "Mom, care to explain what is going on?"

Asumi rushed into the living room when she heard the commotion. She stopped in her tracks when she saw that Kagome has her brother pinned to the floor and she was not releasing him.

She breathed a sigh of relief that finally someone was going to talk some sense into him. She hears Kagome's question and replies, "Your brother thinks that he can do anything that he wants now that he belongs to a gang. He has fallen in with the wrong people and he is making a mess out of his life. If he continues doing this, he is going to wind up in jail."

Kagome listened to her mother and she was frustrated with what she was hearing. She turned back to her brother and asked, "So, you think that you can do anything you want? Well I say different and you are going to start listening to mom and do what you are supposed to do."

Souta laughed in his sister's face, there was no way he was going to listen to her, "Yea right, who is going to make me?"

Kagome was not in the mood, she reached down and pulled her brother to his feet. She has him by the front of his shirt, when she pulls him closer to her face, "I'm going to make you, and your little gang is going to find a new home somewhere else. I will make sure of that."

Souta was struggling to get loose but his sister was strong. He never thought that she was this strong. Maybe Inuyasha was wrong about his sister. She did not appear weak to him. "There is no way that I'm listening to a bitch like you. You are not strong enough to fight me or my gang."

Kagome was angry beyond belief, she held on to her brother while she dragged him outside to the shrine grounds. She threw him half way across the grounds, "We shall see who is the strongest little brother, you have dishonored me and this family. I bring a guest to this house and everyone, except mom, disrespects him. Jii-san never acknowledged that he is a Youkai Lord. He never showed him the proper respect. You come in and snatch him from my shoulder and then refuse to give him back.

"How dare you take something that I am protecting! He is mine to protect and you will show your respect or I will beat it into you. I am alpha of this family and you will respect my position."

Souta got up from the ground and faced his sister. There was no way he was going to listen to her. "Who are you to tell me what to do? You are never here! You have no idea what it is like when you're gone. Plus, Inuyasha told me that you are not worth anything, that he always has to protect you and that the only thing you are good for is finding jewel shards."

That was it, Kagome was tired of everyone thinking that she was worthless, then she went after her brother. She was going to beat some sense into his head. A swift kick to the chest sent Souta flying backwards and he hit the ground hard. Being 14 years old Souta was taller than his sister. He was well built but he was still no match for Kagome and her temper.

Souta got up and went after Kagome. He was going to teach her who was in charge. He threw a punch at his sister but missed. He swung again and missed, all his punches were missing his target when she moved with speed avoiding his attacks.

Kagome kept dodging her brother's fists. He could not touch her while she kept avoiding his attacks. She noticed that he was tiring out and that is when she made her move. She blocked his punch, then she took her hand and smacked him across the face.

Souta stumbled backwards while his sister kept on hitting him. He could not summon the strength to fight back. Souta was taking one hell of a beating from his sister, his body was weakening when he finally landed on the ground breathing hard. He was hurt, but worst of all it was his sister that did this to him. He could not believe that she has beaten him, he looked up and saw her standing there not even breathing hard.

Kagome looked at her brother, the fight has finally left his body. She has won this fight and her brother will now do as she says or suffer her wrath, "Now Souta, you will get up and go back inside the house. You are to go upstairs and get cleaned up then come downstairs to eat. I believe that you owe some people an apology."

Souta did not have a choice now. His sister was a lot more powerful than he gave her credit for. Inuyasha was wrong when he said that his sister was worthless. There was no way he will be able to fight her, so he did as he was told.

First, he stopped by the Youkai Lord that was back on his sister's shoulder and offered him his apology for the way he acted. He then turns and walks back to his mother, "Mama, I'm sorry for the way I have been behaving. I know that I must have put you through a lot of pain and for that I'm sorry."

Asumi has tears coming down her cheeks when she hears her son's words. Finally, someone got through to him and maybe now he will live a long and productive life. She saw him turn and go back into the house. His arrogant walk was gone now and the son she remembered came back.

Jii-san huffed, he has been standing outside watching what his grandchildren were doing. It seemed to him that his granddaughter was instilling discipline in his unruly grandson. It was about time that someone got through to the boy, he certainly didn't listen to him.

When he heard his granddaughter's words he was waiting for his apology from Souta, but the boy never offered him any apologies. He was furious, then stated, "He didn't say anything to me! I am the elder of this family and he has to show me some respect."

Kagome turns heated eyes towards her Jii-san, she was not pleased with his behavior either, he disrespected her guest and that was something that she was about to take care of, "Jii-san for you to get respect you have to earn it. You have never earned his respect. All you have ever done is put him down for the things he has done in his life. When you start showing respect then it will be returned to you."

Jii-san was furious with the way his granddaughter was talking to him, "How dare you! How dare you speak to me in that manner! I am the head of this family and you will show me respect young lady."

Kagome was not about to back down and moved towards her grandfather, "You want me to show you respect? How about I show you the same respect you showed my guest. Who just happens to be the Daiyoukai of these lands. I have no doubt that of all the Youkai in the feudal era he will be the one to survive because he is a great leader, a powerful Youkai, and someone that you should have shown respect to!

"How dare you tell me that you should be respected, when you won't even show anyone, who comes here to the shrine, respect. Respect is earned not freely given. If truth be told, I'm the leader of this family, you don't have the intestinal fortitude to be the leader."

Jii-san was shocked to hear his granddaughter talking like this. He still did not understand and he was bound and determined to win this argument, but before he could even go after Kagome the Youkai on her shoulder stepped in.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was trying to get the feeling back in his arms. The little bastard that grabbed him was squeezing the life out of him. But no sooner than he was grabbed he was released when he saw the little miko attack her own brother.

He answered her question and then observed what she was going to do next. When the young whelp wouldn't back down his little female took him outside and proceeded to teach him a valuable lesson. She did not hurt her brother but she did show him that she was more powerful than he gave her credit for.

Sesshoumaru was also seething, his own brother has turned the young boy against the little miko and when he found him again he was going to teach him a lesson. When the lesson was over he jumped, and landed once more on the miko's shoulder. He stood there watching everything that was going on around him.

He saw as the boy came over and apologize for what he did. He watched with interest as he did the same to his mother but when he walked by the old man he saw that this was not going to be very pretty.

Sesshoumaru could feel the anger growing in the little miko while she stood her ground. When the old man demanded respect his little spitfire did not disappoint. She laid into him but when the old man did not back down Sesshoumaru decided that he was going to step in, "Old one, I suggest that you rethink what you are going to say or do. If you hurt her, promise or no promise I will make you respect the alpha of this pack. She is a powerful female and a good leader. She has this Sesshoumaru's respect and you should be proud that you have someone that is powerful enough to fight the battles for your family."

Jii-san was not in his right mind and Kagome knew this, so she came up with a plan that will make him back down, "Jii-san, you say that you are the head priest of this shrine. If you are so powerful then let me see what you can do. Try and place an ofuda on me. But if you fail in that task, then you have no say in this family. For only one with spiritual powers can be the head of this family."

Jii-san knew that he still has spiritual powers, he took out his ofuda and started his chant. This was his most powerful ofuda and it has never failed him before. He finished his chant and threw the ofuda towards Kagome.

Kagome saw the ofuda coming towards her and caught it in her hand. She held the piece of paper and it did absolutely nothing to her. When her Jii-san saw this, he started to sputter, "That cannot be possible! That is the strongest ofuda I have and it has never failed me before."

Kagome concentrated, she activated the ofuda with her powers, then she threw it at her Jii-san, when it hit him he froze in place. She walked over to him, bent forward and said in a low and menacing voice, "Jii-san, you don't have any spiritual powers. You never did, I was always the one to charge your ofuda when you needed them. I am a miko and a very powerful one, so you will show your respect to everyone coming here to this shrine, and hold your tongue from now on. Am I making myself clear?"

The old man has no choice but to agree. His granddaughter was powerful enough to stop him. He must find a way to subdue her and that Youkai that is on her shoulder. Clearly, he was the reason why his granddaughter was acting this way. But for now, he will back off and then agreed to her request.

Kagome saw that her Jii-san was not going to back down. He did for now but he needed more proof that she was not to be taken lightly. She turned her head and gently whispered, "Sesshoumaru, I request that you get off my shoulder now. I must show my Jii-san that I'm not one to be messed with and I don't want to hurt you."

Sesshoumaru agreed, he formed his Youkai cloud under his feet and lifted off her shoulder. He moved away from her knowing that she was going to release her true powers. This is what he was waiting for. He has seen her powers but she always held back, he was hoping that this time she will let go.

Kagome moved forward towards her Jii-san and removed the ofuda. She then stepped away from him and started to concentrate on her powers. Slowly she started to release her powers as her whole body started to glow a beautiful pink. The wind was picking up around her, while her hair started to move on its own, it was flowing towards the sky, then her eyes became white with a pink tint to them.

A blue teardrop appeared on her forehead and it glowed. Her aura grew with tremendous power, that anyone with no powers could clearly see it, then she faced the old man. When she spoke, her voice was like musical tones in perfect harmony, "This is who I am Jii-san, if you think that you can beat me then I welcome you to try, but I can assure you that you will never win."

Jii-san eyes opened wide when he saw the amount of power his granddaughter held. It was unbelievable. He could never hope to reach her level of power. He lowered his head and said, "If you will excuse me, I will go back inside." He bowed to all standing outside, while he turned and went back into the house.

Asumi stood there and watched as her daughter put everyone in their place. The old man took it hard that her daughter was this powerful. Even she didn't know that her own daughter was this powerful. Yes, she knew that she was a miko but she was a miko with great powers. She has no doubt that she was even more powerful than Midoriko.

Asumi at that moment couldn't have been prouder of her daughter. She has raised her well and she was becoming a woman in her own right. She turned her eyes towards her, saying, "Kagome, dinner will be ready in a few minutes. Come back inside when you are ready." She then turned and went back into the house. A house that she knew has changed for the better.

Kagome calmed down while her powers reseeded back into her body. She saw Sesshoumaru floating in front of her when she heard him asked, "Miko are you all right?"

Kagome smiled and looked at the sky. The sun was almost down, she rubbed her eyes and said, "Yes Sesshoumaru, I'm fine, just a little tired."

Kagome reached out with her hand and indicated for Sesshoumaru to land. He did as she requested and then he heard her say, "Sesshoumaru, I want to offer you my apologies for the way my family has treated you. They have no right to disrespect you the way they did. I will understand if you don't want to keep your word to me. You have every right to protect yourself."

Sesshoumaru looked at the little miko, stating, "There is no reason for me to break my word to you miko. You have proven yourself capable of protecting me."

Kagome smiled a very small smile. She knew that he would break his word to her if he needed to. But she was happy that he offered not to break it, "Thank you Sesshoumaru, it means a lot to me. Come, it is time for dinner."

Kagome started to walk towards her home and carries the Youkai Lord in her hands. She was beginning to like Sesshoumaru. He never put her down and he was treating her like an equal. She felt her heart lighten just a bit as it was on its way to being mended.

Kagome walked back into her home and went to the kitchen. When she entered, everyone was there, her place was set for her with Sesshoumaru's chair and table next to where she was sitting.

Asumi went upstairs and retrieved the dining room table and chair for the Youkai lord to sit. She made sure to get him all the dishes and glassware he needed and dressed the table accordingly. She set his food on the table as they all sat down to eat.

Sesshoumaru was lowered to the table and then walked over to the place that was set for him. It was full of food and to his surprise he has both cooked and raw meat. He looked towards the miko's mother while she bowed to him. It was her way of showing him that he was welcomed in her home. He bowed his head in thanks and sat down at the table he was given.

He watched as everyone took their food and then waited. He looked towards the miko when she nodded her head towards him. He raised an eyebrow in surprise, he inclined his head towards her and picked up his chop sticks and took the first bite of food.

Once he starts to eat everyone else around the table did the same. It was the greatest honor that they would wait for him to take the first bite of food before they would eat. If the person that they were sharing their meal with was considered an honored guest, then they were given the right to eat first. It was the highest honor that he could be given and he was proud of his little miko.

Kagome watched with interest while Sesshoumaru ate his meal. He devoured the raw meat and then she saw him pick up a piece of cooked meat. She saw him sniff the meat as he took a bite. She saw him nod his head in approval and continued to eat the meat given to him.

Sesshoumaru was surprised that the cooked meat tasted so good. He did notice that the meat was raw on the inside and turned his attention to miko's mother. He knew that she had something to do with this and he was grateful.

The miko's mother was trying everything in her power to show him that she respected him as a Youkai Lord. Now he knew where the little miko got her mannerisms from. She was like her mother in every way, he was grateful that she raised such a fine and powerful female.

When dinner was done, the little miko helped her mother to clear the table but when she went to do the dishes Asumi said, "That's all right Kagome, I can handle the rest. You have a guest to take care of, why don't you go tend to his needs."

Kagome smiles at her mother, then she reaches over and kissed her cheek in thanks. She turns her attention to Sesshoumaru and put her hand down on the table.

Sesshoumaru noticed what the little miko did and understood what she wanted. He stepped onto her hand and was then lifted into the air. Kagome took Sesshoumaru and went upstairs. She had enough of her Jii-san for one night and didn't want to face him again.

She entered her room with Sesshoumaru riding on her hand, she turns her attention to her bed and got a pillow that she knew was comfortable. She placed the pillow on her desk and then set Sesshoumaru down, "This pillow is for you to sit on Sesshoumaru, I do believe that it's comfortable."

Kagome watched to see what Sesshoumaru was going to do. She noticed when he went over to the pillow and felt its softness. He approved, then he sat down and crossed his legs in front of him while he watched what the miko was going to do.

When Kagome saw that he was happy with the pillow she went around the room collecting her things to take a bath.

She turned on her television so that Sesshoumaru could watch it for a while. She put it on the news so he can gain knowledge from the other countries. When she was finished gathering her bathing supplies and was about to walk out of her room, she turned and looked for Sesshoumaru. He was sitting down in front of the television watching and listening to what the news reporter was saying.

Kagome smiled and left Sesshoumaru in her room while she went to take a bath. She didn't bother putting a barrier on her door to make sure that Sesshoumaru was protected. She knew that no one in her family would want to suffer her wrath if they hurt him.

Sesshoumaru was looking at the television and learning, they showed other parts of the world and what it was like there. But then his mind started to wonder when he replayed everything that happened that evening. One thing kept coming back to his mind, the little miko has blatantly stated that he was hers to protect. She made a verbal claim against his person and his beast was happy with that thought.

Sesshoumaru must admit that he felt strange when she made that statement. His beast was jumping for joy, but he was trying to think through what that meant to him. _'Will I allow her to make such a claim on my person? Or will I reject her protection of me? She has done everything possible to make sure that I stay safe. She has risked her own safety to make sure that I was not harmed.'_

This new idea brought about a whole lot of questions while he tried to sort out what he wanted to do. He was so deep in thought that he never felt the individual that entered the little miko's room.

-oOo-

Souta was waiting for his sister to go to the bathroom. He knew that she would because she always bathed at night. When she left her room, it was his chance to go see that small Youkai.

He opened the door to his room very slowly. He did not want to make any noise and made his way down the hallway. He heard the shower going and noticed that the door to her room was slightly opened.

Souta noticed that Sesshoumaru was sitting on a pillow and that he was watching the television. He slowly opens the door, making sure that he did not make any noise. He made his way into the room when he noticed the Youkai quickly stand to face him.

Sesshoumaru senses went wild when he detected someone in the room with him that was not the miko. He turned and quickly stood, flexing his claws. It was the miko's brother and then he waited to see what he wanted.

Souta noticed when the Youkai Lord stood up to face him. He walked in all the way, kneeled and said, "I want to offer you my apologies for disrespecting you. My sister is right, she is the most powerful and it's her right to oversee the family, but if I may, I would like to ask you a question."

Sesshoumaru was surprised by the boy's mannerisms and question. He was curious to know what the boy wanted and consented to speak to him. "Ask your question."

Souta sat up, excited that the Youkai would answer his questions, "Who are you? I have never seen anyone so small."

Sesshoumaru stood tall and said, "My name is Sesshoumaru, I am the Daiyoukai of the Western Lands. I'm like this because a curse was placed on me by my enemies, then they tried to kill me. Your sister came to my aid that is why I'm with her."

Souta was surprised to hear that he was a Lord. Then he asked, "Do you know who Inuyasha is? You look a little like him."

Sesshoumaru growled at the mention of the half breed's name, "Inuyasha is my half-brother. You should learn not to take that half breeds word on anything. Your sister is a powerful female. In fact, she is the strongest female that I have ever met. She is not now, nor will she ever be worthless. I know of a few Youkai that would love to mate with your sister. She would bring honor to any clan she is with. Now I have a question for you, why did you disrespect her?"

Souta lowered his head, he was ashamed of what he did. "I guess I have been listening to my friends too much, she has been gone for so long. I miss her and when she comes home it would only be for a short while. Inuyasha usually comes to get her and while he waits for her to come home from school we would sit down and talk.

"He told me that my sister was a worthless bitch, that she was a weak female and that the only thing that she was good for was finding jewel shards. But that can't be right. The way she fought me, she is very powerful and a skillful fighter, so why would he say that to me?"

Sesshoumaru thought as much, the half breed was the cause of all the problems here in her home. "Inuyasha will say anything to put Kagome down. He is the one who is weak, Kagome is the power in her pack. She is the one that destroys the Youkai that they are fighting against. She is the one that finds the shards, she is the one that cares for the others when they are hurt and they all protect her viciously.

"She is respected by the other members of her pack. As a matter of fact, they have all left the hanyou and went with Kagome when she decided to travel on her own. They will not follow the hanyou without Kagome. So, you tell me who is worthless?

"It takes a strong person to standup for themselves. What you felt today is nothing compared to what she can do to an opponent. She went easy on you, if she ever let's go of that anger of hers you would be dead."

Souta's eyes opened wide when he hears the Youkai Lord words. He had no idea that his sister was going easy on him. His body hurt, if that was going easy on him what would it be like to feel her full wrath? He suddenly thought that he really did not want to find out when he bowed and said, "Thank you for talking with me. I don't have anyone to speak to here and my sister is the only one that I can really talk too. I have a very small request, can you make sure that she comes home more often, so that I can speak to her?"

Sesshoumaru thought that the young boys request was not too much to ask, "I will try to make her come home more often. But understand that she has a mind of her own and sometimes there are things that prevent her from coming home."

Souta was happy with that, he said his goodnight and left the room. Sesshoumaru turned off the television, jumping from where he was sitting, he landed near the window. He sat down and looked outside. There were colorful lights everywhere, while he looked out over the land. It has changed so much from what his home is right now. _'How could this happen in a span of a few centuries? Where have all the Youkai gone that used to live on these lands? And what happened to all of the Youkai Lords?'_

Sesshoumaru continued to sit and think, pondering what has happened to his kind and home.

Kagome was finally finished with her shower. She felt better once she was clean, the hot water always made her feel better. It relaxed her muscles and body, so she was not so tense any more. She got into her pajamas and then walks back to her room.

Sesshoumaru turned when he heard someone coming into the room. He saw the little miko coming back from bathing and his eyes opened wide. Her long ebony hair was hanging down her back, it was still wet and she was trying to dry it. She was wearing something very short that showed off her beautiful legs. They were so long and they looked very silky.

Sesshoumaru's beast was aroused when he saw the little miko. She was perfect in his eyes and he wondered what it would be like to have those long legs wrapped around his hips. She was wearing a small shirt that left nothing to the imagination. It was just big enough to cover her upper body and her breasts were rich and full. They did not sag in the least and they were very perky.

Sesshoumaru could imagine her pups suckling on those nipples as they feasted. He has no doubt that the little miko will be able to produce milk to feed the pups well. He wondered if she would produce enough for him to suckle as well.

That thought caught him by surprise, _'Why am I thinking this way? I have no intention of mating the little miko. Yes, she is a powerful female but she is not a Youkai. I need a Youkai heir for him to inherit my lands. It will not do for me to be thinking like this. She has already been through enough. I don't want to be the one to break her heart again like the half breed has done.'_

Sesshoumaru beast was not happy with his thoughts. _**"I do not want another female. She is the one that I have picked and she is the one that we shall mate. If we do not mate her then we will never mate and these lands will go without an heir. She is the only female that we have found that is powerful enough to be our match.**_

" _ **You can deny her all you want but in the end, you will take her as our mate. Even you are drawn to her, the power that she displayed this evening is even more powerful than we thought she possessed. She has no equal and there is a chance that another male will try to take her from us. I know that she will fight but if she is caught off guard she can be subdued and another male can mate her before we break this curse. I for one will let no other male touch what is mine."**_

Sesshoumaru did not like what his beast was saying. Somehow having another male touch the little miko, was not appealing to him. He continues to look out the window while he continues to argue with his beast. He will not give into his beast so easily to mate the little female.

Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru was sitting by the window and he was looking at all the lights from the city. You can hear the cars going down the street, then walks over to his location. She looks out the window and states, "Amazing isn't it, that the quiet village of Edo will become this in 500 years?"

Sesshoumaru has to agree with her, "Miko what happened? What happened to the forest and the lands? Is all of Yamato like this?"

Kagome sighed, "Yes, all of the lands are like this, the only part that still remains wild are the mountain regions. I cannot tell you too much about how all this came to be, it will change history and I will not risk it changing."

Sesshoumaru understood what the miko was saying. She did not want to change what has happened and if he knew what was to come, he could change the course of history. But he was wondering if the little miko's presence in the feudal era was already changing what is to come. He stays by the window while he ponders what the future will hold for him. The little miko moved away from him when she notices that he was deep in thought and started to get ready for bed.

Kagome fixed an area for Sesshoumaru to sleep. She moves the dolls bed down from where she has it and then found a silk handkerchief that she could use as sheets to cover the bed. She made sure that she gave him a warm blanket, then she put some sleeping pants for him on the corner of the bed. She thought that he might want to get comfortable and gave him the option of changing his clothes.

Kagome turns her attention back to Sesshoumaru and states, "Sesshoumaru I have made a place for you to sleep. I have also placed a pair of sleeping hakama for you to change into if you wish. I'm tired and I want to go to bed so goodnight."

Kagome then walks to her bed and crawls in under the covers. She did not know how much longer she will be able to stay awake and as soon as her head hit the pillow she was out.

Sesshoumaru stays by the window while he thought about what he wanted to do. His beast was not leaving him alone to think and he was losing his temper. Then he hears something downstairs and looked at the miko. She was sound asleep and did not even stir.

He decided to investigate the noise that he heard. He got up and made his youki cloud appear under his feet, and floated up into the air. He opened the door with much difficulty. It was a good thing that the door handle was not round or he would not be able to get out of this room. He pulled the door open just enough for him to slip out and floats down stairs.

The light in the kitchen was still on while he made his way there. He detected no intruders in the house and went to see who was still up at this hour. He floated through the door to see the little miko's mother sitting at the table, he could tell that she has been crying, he lands on the table and asks, "Asumi-san, is there anything wrong?"

Asumi jumped when she heard someone talking to her. She thought that she was alone but when she looked down Sesshoumaru was standing there in front of her. She quickly wipes her eyes and stated, "I'm fine Sesshoumaru-sama, just a mother's worry over her children."

Sesshoumaru was curious and sat down, "You're worried about your children, why?"

Asumi sat there and poured herself another cup of tea. She turned and got a cup for Sesshoumaru, she poured him some tea and set it in front of him. She took a deep breath, saying, "I worry for my daughter. I worry that now that Inuyasha has finally shown his true colors that something will happen to her. I know that I cannot prevent her from going back to the feudal era but every time she leaves I worry for her safety. I worry that I will never get to see her again.

"This thought terrifies me because even though I know that children are meant to grow up and leave, I am losing my daughter faster than any other mother from this era. But I know that deep down in my heart that I can't stop her from going. The fates have dealt her a hand and she must complete what she was given.

"To stop now will tilt the balance of power to evil and I cannot allow that, not even for my own selfish reason. I firmly believe that all of this has happened for a reason and my daughter must see it through."

Sesshoumaru listened while he drank his tea, when her mother ran out of breath he stated, "You should not worry about her. She is a very powerful miko and she travels with people that still protect her. She is very well respected by all on the lands. The Youkai that feel when she is near move away, giving her a wide area for her to travel through unharmed, and those Youkai that know her, show her the utmost respect."

Asumi smiled as she said, "I know but that is not what I'm worried about. I know my daughter well enough to know when she has been hurt. She is not physically hurt where everyone can see it, hers is more of an emotional hurt and that could be dangerous.

"Inuyasha has broken her spirit. He has almost broken everything that is her being. I can see it in her eyes. The hurt is there and Inuyasha knows this, I'm afraid for her to fail in what she needs to do. I'm terrified of losing my daughter to someone that has mentally hurt her if he attacks with the dead miko.

"Here we have a name for something like that, it's called mental abuse. Mental abuse is the act of degrading someone or simply stating that they are worthless, calling them names such as wench, whore, and bitch. The person will almost always make that person feel like it's their fault something happened, or humiliate them in front of friends or family.

"They can be hypercritical of that person in that they will blame them for the outcome of a battle or the loss. They will not talk to the one they are putting down nor tell them what is wrong. They will be extremely jealous for no reason. Kagome has told me that Inuyasha refuses to let any other male near her when he himself goes off with that Kikyou person.

"And finally, there will be dominance and control of the abused. Thou I do know that some of this is Inu Youkai nature, I know that the Inu Youkai will not knowingly hurt the female that they want as a mate, but all of this is punishable by the law here. There in the feudal era I can't help her and I can't keep her safe.

"The only thing that I have been able to do is take her out of school and enrolled her into some self-defense classes. She excelled when she was learning. I got her on the road to recovery in taking the hurt and channeling that hurt into the determination to succeed.

"I know that with her leaving Inuyasha behind she has taken her first steps into taking back control of her life. But she is still fragile."

Sesshoumaru was floored with what he heard. Everything that the little miko's mother said was exactly the way the half breed was treating the miko. Though some of those things can be described as Inu nature, she was right when she stated that an Inu Youkai will never hurt their intended female.

They sat there in silence as each was lost in their own thoughts. Then he heard Asumi start speaking again and she almost seemed to be in a daze, "You know I have never told Kagome this before, but her father was a powerful priest. I have no doubt that she inherited his powers. He was a seer and he told me just before his death that Kagome will be traveling back in time to set things right. He never told me how she was going to do this but that she was and that I must help her when the time came.

"I think I have done that to this point, but I can't help but wonder, if I could have done something more to prepare her for this time in her life." Asumi then looked up and continued, "Sesshoumaru-sama, please I'm asking you as a mother, please make sure that she is protected. I know that you are limited at this point in time, but if you can at least try to protect her from Inuyasha, I will be eternally grateful."

Sesshoumaru could see the tears coming out of her eyes. The pain he saw in them made his heart ache. There was no way that he could refuse her request. She knew that he could not protect her fully but was asking to at least try and protect her from his brother.

Sesshoumaru took a deep breath, he stated with all the nobility of being a Lord that he could muster, "I give you my word, as Daiyoukai that I will protect her, I will make sure that the half breed no longer has a hold on her in any way shape or form."

Asumi was happy with his word. She now knew that her daughter will at least have some protection. She smiled for the first time that day, "Thank you Lord Sesshoumaru, you have no idea how this makes me feel. I will be forever in your debt. Now it's getting late and you need your rest. I thank you for coming to talk to me. I do appreciate it."

Asumi bowed her head to Sesshoumaru and then got up and went to bed. She will have a busy day and it all starts again in 6 hours.

Sesshoumaru watched as the miko's mother left the kitchen. He now has a better understanding of the little miko. He knew that the little miko took after her mother. He could see a lot of the values that the miko portrays in her.

He formed his youki cloud under his feet again and went back upstairs. He entered the room and closed the door behind him. He landed near the bed that the little miko prepared for him while he took off his kimono and put on the sleeping hakama that she left for him.

Sesshoumaru moved over to the bed and sat down, even though the bed was soft and comfortable he was restless. He got up and jumped from the table to where the miko was sleeping in her bed. He found a spot near the miko, on her pillow, as he laid down. Her scent relaxed him as he drifted off to sleep.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sorry for the late post of this chapter. Sometimes life gets in the way of doing things which is why I posted the last chapter early. Things never go as planned, unfortunately.

Kagome came home to find her brother involved with the local gangs and she had to set him straight on a few things. Good thing she didn't let go of that temper of her or her brother would be dead.

Join me in the next chapter when Kagome and Sesshoumaru have a misunderstanding in the way things are done. Though both come from Japan, they each see things differently and Kagome doesn't understand Inu Youkai nature.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The next morning Kagome woke up to find that Sesshoumaru was sleeping on her pillow. The strange part was that she has her arm around his body, while she protected him in his sleep. He was curled into her with his tail up and over her arm. His tail was almost wrapped around her wrist.

Kagome moves slowly out of bed, she did not want to wake him up at this hour in the morning. She knew that he needs to rest. She finally got up from her bed, when she got his tail unwrapped from her arm, and went to get dressed.

Once she was done, Kagome opens the door gently and walks down stairs. The sun was not even up yet but within the hour it will be. She decides that she needs to do some training so she could work out her frustrations.

Kagome went to her dojo that was located on the shrine grounds. She and her mother found this building that was almost empty and they cleaned it up so she could use it as a practice area for when she was learning how to defend herself.

It was a good place for her to practice with her scrolls, while she learned how to control her powers even more. She opened the door and turned on the lights. She walked to the middle of the room and started with her Tai-chi. She needed to get her body back under control and her powers aligned with her mind and body.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru woke shortly after the miko left the room. He opened his eyes to find himself alone in the room. He growled when he thought that she left him unprotected, he quickly got dressed and went in search of the little female.

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that no one was up. The miko was gone from the house and he was wondering where she could be. He followed her scent and it led to the front door. He looked at the door and determined that he could open it and did. The front door was easier to open than her bedroom door, he slipped out the door and then closed it behind him.

He follows Kagome's scent and found the building where she was located. He went in through an open window when he saw his little female in the middle of the room going through some training exercises.

Sesshoumaru found a place where he could observe what the little miko was doing. He was amazed at the different types of fighting styles she could do while he was breaking down her moves. She was a powerful fighter. She would change her fighting style in the middle of an attack to keep her opponents off balance.

What Sesshoumaru observed was the way the little miko was moving her body in a uniformed way. It was like watching someone move in slow motion as head, arms, legs, feet, and hands have a place they should be. He saw her moving her muscles when she turned. He saw her muscles rippling under her shirt as she slowly moved her body. He has never seen anything like this before.

Sesshoumaru got up and took off his haori and juban. He watched what she did and then tried to mimic her moves. He found that it was not as easy as it looked and it put a powerful strain on his muscles. By the time the little miko was done with her exercises he was hurting. He never moved his muscles in this way before but he felt different after he was done. He felt his mind, body, power, and soul united somehow and he felt stronger for it. He must get her to teach him these moves correctly so he can discipline his own body.

Then he watched when she started on her practice sets with a wooden sword. She was a very deadly opponent. She hit all the seven areas that she needed to with speed and accuracy. She would go first for the top of the head and then she would hit the wrists. She then moved and hit each side of the head, followed by a blow to the body, and ending with a deadly blow to the throat.

He decided to join her in her practice when she moved away from the practice dummy and started to move the sword around her body in a way that he has never seen before. He pulled his sword from its sheath and formed his youki cloud under his feet. He moved with speed to see if he could catch her off guard.

Sesshoumaru went in hard and fast, releasing an attack from his sword and watching to see what the little miko was going to do.

Kagome sensed when an attack was coming her way. She flipped backwards and landed away from the spot she was standing in a few moments ago. She brought her shina around and blocked the next attack. She noticed that it was Sesshoumaru who was joining her this morning and went after him. They fought for a few hours when they both called a halt to their training.

Sesshoumaru was breathing hard and floated over to his little miko. He was impressed, stating, "Very good miko, you are a deadly opponent with a sword, now why haven't you used any of these moves when you fight back in my era?"

Kagome lowered her shina, while she got her breathing under control, "I didn't think it would be effective in fighting Youkai but I seem to be wrong. You showed me that the attacks are very effective and that when I mix them with different styles of fighting, I can keep my enemies off balance. Thank you."

Sesshoumaru was very pleased, his little female was evolving and she is learning as she goes. He has learned something new as well while he observed her moves. He was hard press to make sure he avoided her attacks and he was sure that a couple of times she held back to make sure that she did not hurt him. He would like to fight her once again when he was returned to normal. He wanted to see how she would fair with a larger opponent.

They both headed back to the house and went upstairs to get cleaned up. Kagome drew him a bath, she got an old fashion bathtub from her doll house and took it into the bathroom. When everything was set up for him she went back to her room and said, "I have drawn you a bath Sesshoumaru. I have also placed a new kimono for you to wear. I will wash the one you are wearing as soon as you give it to me."

Sesshoumaru was surprised that the miko would think this far as to make sure he was well taken care of. She has fixed him a bath when he followed her into the bathroom. He saw the bathtub on the counter and growled his approval.

He could feel the hot water coming from the tub and proceeded to take off his kimono. He heard an Eek! When he saw the little miko leaving the room quickly, he chuckled at her antics, she undressed him to take care of his wounds and has seen his body yet she is embarrassed when he takes his kimono off. But while he thought about that, one thing came to mind. He did have his fudoshi on when he woke so she did not see his most private parts.

Sesshoumaru's beast growled in disappointment, she has not seen all of him yet, but he was determined to teach her what it was like to be the mate of a Daiyoukai.

Sesshoumaru took his bath and enjoyed himself. The water was perfect; it was not too hot or too cold. He liked using the soap that the miko left for him to wash with. When he was done, he dried off and looked at the kimono she left for him.

There was another fudoshi for him to wear, he quickly wrapped it around his lower region. When he was done he then put on the juban, it was white in color, he put it on and then wrapped it around his waist and tied it in place. He picked up the hakama next. They were a deep blue in color and puts them on. They were very soft against his skin, while he tied the ties around his waist. The haori was also a deep blue in color, it had golden birds flying around the edge of the fabric, there was a white Inu Youkai on the back of the haori as it was howling at the full moon.

The last thing he put on was the sash, it was black in color and had a crescent moon in the center of it. He wondered where she got this kimono that fit him so well. Once he was done he headed back to the miko's room, he noticed that she was pacing back and forth.

Kagome stopped her nervous pacing when she felt that Sesshoumaru was finally coming back into the room. Her cheeks flushed when she looked at him. He looked good dressed in blue, she was very proud of herself. She made those garments for him and she hoped that he liked them. "Does your kimono fit you well Sesshoumaru? Do you like them?"

Sesshoumaru landed on the table, he turns toward the little miko, saying, "They are a perfect fit, but where did you get this kimono?" He saw the miko's cheeks turn red when she turns away from him, embarrassment. Then he hears her whisper, "I made them for you, I didn't want you to go around wearing the same thing all the time. I wanted you to at least have some clean kimonos to wear." Kagome then quickly left her room, and went to clean up the bathroom.

Sesshoumaru was shocked by what the little miko said to him, it almost seemed to him like she was courting him instead of him courting her. So far, she has almost gone through the whole mating ritual. She has provided him with food to eat and she has protected him. She has given him every comfort that he could think of and now she was giving him kimonos.

Sesshoumaru did not know what to do. His beast was beside himself. They have never been courted before and they are finding the experience hard to take. It was the male's responsibility to court the chosen female not the other way around.

Sesshoumaru found that he did not like it in the least and things were going to change. He noticed when the little miko came back inside the room, "Let's get something to eat and then we can go and read some more scrolls. Maybe we will find the answer today."

Sesshoumaru agreed, he formed his youki cloud under his feet and made his way out the door.

Kagome was surprised that Sesshoumaru was not going down with her this morning. She was getting used to him riding on her shoulder, that it felt strange not to have him there now. When she arrived in the kitchen she noticed that Sesshoumaru was not sitting next to her this morning and now she knew that something was wrong.

Kagome started to think about what she did to offend Sesshoumaru. She was sure that she was doing something that is making him act this way. _'_ _Am I not doing everything that I should be doing for a guest of my pack? Am I doing something wrong?'_

Kagome hardly ate, she was upset that she has done something to offend Sesshoumaru, she excused herself from the table, but before she left she stated, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I will be in the building with the scrolls if you need me." She then turned and left the kitchen.

Sesshoumaru's beast was not happy with what his logical side was doing. **_'_** ** _You have hurt our mate's feelings by turning your back on her. Why have you done this?'_**

Sesshoumaru did not owe his inner Inu any answers, but he knew enough that if he did not answer his questions he will not leave him alone, _'_ _I will not be courted by a lowly female. I refuse to be courted unless it is me that is interested in the female. I do not want her as my mate.'_

Sesshoumaru's beast howled in anger, **_'_** ** _How dare you! You should be honored that a powerful female is interested in us. The other demoness's only want the money and title that we can bestow upon them. They care nothing for us. This female has shown that she will be a good alpha and has taken care of us the way she should. Do you think Youkai females will do this for their mates?'_**

Sesshoumaru did not answer his beast, while he retreated into his mind. He will not mate this female no matter what. When he finished with his meal, he formed his youki cloud under his feet and went to research this blasted curse. He needed to find the cure for it and fast.

-oOo-

Kagome was in the building with the scrolls, reading, but her mind was not on what was in front of her, but on the Youkai Lord that was with her. The only thing that she could come up with is that he hated the clothes she made for him. Because after he put them on, that's when he started to act this way.

A lone tear came down her cheek and she quickly wiped them away. She will not cry in front of him. She felt when Sesshoumaru came into the building, he went to his own section and started to read the scroll that he left behind from yesterday.

They worked in silence for a good portion of the morning. Kagome was getting more upset as time passed, she needed to get out of here but before she left she said in a low voice, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way. I know that I'm a worthless female and you shouldn't feel obligated to wear the kimono that I have given you. I know that they will never be the fine kimonos that you always wear. When we find the answer to your curse I will return you to your era and we will go our separate ways." Kagome then turns and leaves the building.

Sesshoumaru hears the miko's words. He did not think of her as worthless, but for some reason she believes that he did not like the kimono that she has given him. They were better than the ones that he wore. She is a very good seamstress, the best that he has ever seen, but since she believed that he was upset because of them, he will not tell her otherwise. He noticed when she left him alone but he was also picking up on the scent of her tears when she left.

For the first time in his life he felt lower than dirt. He has hurt the little miko's feelings and now she was crying. But the worst part is that his inner Inu was not yelling at him for hurting her. He tried to talk to him but his beast was ignoring him. Sesshoumaru growled in frustration and left the building, he needed some time to think, he floated outside the building and made his way over to the sacred tree.

Sesshoumaru floated up to the higher branches so he could have some time alone. He sat there and tried to sort out the mess that he has gotten himself into.

-oOo-

Kagome was upset and left the building. She needed time alone so she could think. She went inside the dojo, got her shina and strapped it to her back. When she was ready she walked out of the dojo, her intensions were to leave the shrine. But before she left she took out some ofuda and started her spell. She was not going to let Sesshoumaru leave the shrine to come after her.

When she was done with her spell she threw the ofuda in the air. They attached themselves to the trees around the area, then a powerful barrier was placed there to keep Sesshoumaru inside the shrine grounds. Once her barrier was in place she left.

Kagome was walking down the street while she thought about what happened. She was hurt that Sesshoumaru was treating her this way. She thought that he was different but she guessed wrong. They will never have anything together because she was a ningen. She knew it was a long shot but now she understood her place.

The feudal era is a man's world. She will never fit in there because of who she was. What she needed to do was find the stupid spell that would break the curse Sesshoumaru was under and then get on with her duties. Once all the jewel shards have been found she can come back home. There was nothing for her there, so why stay.

Kagome knew that she was bound by her word to help Sesshoumaru. But once she fulfilled her end of their deal, he can be on his way. He will not need her anymore and she could hunt the jewel shards that are waiting for her.

Kagome continues to walk when her feet takes her to the park. She found a secluded area where she sat down on a bench and thought about everything that has happened. She knew it had to be the clothes that he was upset about. _'_ _That's it! The clothes, he must be thinking that the clothes mean something else other than the meaning I intended for them to be. I should show him that I also give clothes to my pack, I often bring back something for them to wear. Shippou is growing so fast that his clothes don't last that long.'_

Kagome was finally happy with that thought. She has no idea what Sesshoumaru was thinking about but she only gave him the clothes because she needed to wash what he was wearing. Being a Youkai she knew that the slightest smell would irritate his nose. But what could the other meaning be? Now that was the question of the century, she tries thinking about the different things she has read, so far, about Inu Youkai nature.

Kagome was so deep in thought that she never noticed the group of young men that were making their way towards her.

-oOo-

The gang that Souta was hanging around with was making their way through the park. They were looking for anything that would give them some entertainment. They did not go to school and they were always in trouble. But so far, the park was empty, while they continue to wander around the area.

One of the members spotted Kagome sitting by herself, he got his friends attention and they headed towards her. They were thinking that they were going to have some fun with the young female, they rush in and sit on either side of her. The others that were there moved behind her and to the front. They had her boxed in to make sure that she did not run.

Kagome's senses came alive when she saw a group of males heading straight for her. They surround her on the bench when she noticed that they trapped her in. Warning bells were going off in Kagome's head while she gets ready to attack. She turns to the one on her right and asks, "Can I help you?"

The young man sitting to her right reaches over and puts his arm around Kagome's shoulder and tries to pull her towards him, "Yea you can say that you can help me, how about we leave here and I show you a good time. I'm horny as hell and I think that you can take care of my problem."

Kagome's temper was slowly rising, she quickly reaches up and seizes the hand that was on her shoulder. Grabbing the thumb, she twisted it away from her body and then extends her right hand and hits him in the chest. The pervert goes flying towards the ground as the other guy on the other side of her tries to subdue her.

Kagome took her elbow and quickly jabbed it in his stomach, then she takes his arms and pulls him forward towards the ground. Now free of the attackers on either side of her she jumps in time to avoid the rest of the idiots that wanted a piece of her.

Kagome lands not too far away from the males that were after her, "So you are the idiots that have moved into this neighborhood, now I want you all to leave this place, go somewhere else to cause trouble. We don't need you here to ruin the kids in this area. Go back to your own neighborhood."

The men did not like being told what to do as the leader said, "Oh yeah, who is going to make us leave? We happen to like this area and we plan on staying here for a very long time." He signaled his gang and they form a circle around Kagome. "Now you are going to come with us. We could use a bitch like you to join our gang. The more the merrier."

Kagome was standing her ground while she scanned the area. She knew where all her opponents were and this was the perfect way to get rid of the pent-up frustration that she was feeling. "I'm not going anywhere with you. So, leave or I will be forced to teach you all a lesson."

The men laugh and attacked. Kagome noticed what they were going to do, she waits until the very last minute, then leaps from the center of the circle and lands a few feet away. The men never noticed when she moves and crash into each other. They all go down in a heap. There is nothing but a big pile of bodies on the ground, while they try to get back up. Shaking their heads, they look around the area to see where the little female went to.

They all notice that she is just standing there waiting on them. The first ones to get untangled, from the pile of bodies on the ground, rush forward and attack the girl. They were going to show her who was boss in this area.

The first one to get to her gets a fist in the chest. She quickly turns and throws him over her shoulder. He lands hard on the ground, unconscious. The next one came in behind her, she drops to the ground and sweeps out her leg, knocking her opponent down, she quickly gets up and delivers a swift kick to his stomach. The idiot was in so much pain that he passed out from the attack.

She ducked a fist coming her way, she hits this one in the stomach and then turns as her foot connects with the right side of his face, making him go down. He never got up from the position she put him in.

Kagome quickly turns, she sees that they have pulled out their weapons to use against her. She takes out her shina, and spins it in her hand, getting ready. She holds out her left hand in front of her as she turns her palm up and curls her fingers towards her body, inviting them to try and attack her.

One of the young men attacks her with a knife, she blocks then uses her shina to strike his wrist with accuracy. Her assailant drops the knife and backs away from her. He was holding his broken wrist and he was out of the fight for now.

The leader of the gang was pissed that his members were being slowly taken out by a female. Three of them attack her next, when they reached her the only thing they saw was a blur. Kagome was moving so fast that they never saw her attack. When she was done all three fell to the ground, then she faces her last three opponents. These must be the most powerful of their gang while she moves her shina and gets ready.

The leader of the gang could not believe that his men were so weak. They could not defeat a lowly female and he was getting angry. He moves in and faces off with the female. "Bitch! If you think that I'm going to let you get away with beating my men, you have another thing coming. You will find that I am not as weak as they are."

Kagome was watching the male in front of her very closely. She was also watching the other two that were in the area. If she lost sight of them they could be her downfall. She kept her senses opened when she noticed his attack.

The leader came in with his fist pulled back, he was going after the female. He swung his arm but missed, he pivoted on the ball of his right foot and threw another punch. He missed again, then he started throwing punishes one after the other with no success.

Kagome was moving fast dodging all his punches. She had to keep moving or else he would catch her and she did not know if she would be able to fight him off. She was also keeping her senses open for the other two that were in the area, then she notices that one of the men was moving in behind her.

Kagome felt when he was coming towards her as she ducked and rolled away from her attackers. The two men hit each other as they both go down. Then Kagome is caught off guard, she lost track of the last male that was there. He came in and hit Kagome across the face and she goes down hard. The next thing she knows she was being picked up off the ground as two of the men were holding her up.

Kagome was breathing hard and started to concentrate on her powers. The leader of the gang came forward, and stated in an arrogant voice, "So bitch we finally have you. You are going to regret going against us."

Kagome will fight to the bitter end, spitting on his face to show her defiance. The leader cleaned his face, as he took his fist and hit Kagome in her stomach. He then slapped her across the face as blood started to come from her split lip.

Kagome kept on concentrating even though she was feeling tremendous pain. She let her powers go and the two that were holding her up got their hands burned from her powers. They released her as they both looked at their black hands in disbelief. Their hands were useless as they turned and ran. They have no idea what she is but she was not ningen.

Kagome stood on shaky legs and looked at the male in front of her. Her eyes have gone white, while her hair started to move on its own. There was no wind blowing that day but if you looked at Kagome you would have thought that a powerful wind was going through the area.

Kagome's powers increased when she said in a deadly voice, "You will not come back here ever again. If you do it will be your death. Your two friends have lost both their hands and I will make sure that you lose what you hold most dear to you."

The leader backed away from the crazy female when he turns tail and runs. His men were all on the ground unconscious and the only two that were awake were running away from the area.

Kagome saw the leader of the gang running away from her but she was not about to let him get away. She ran after him, moving with lighting speed. The male never noticed the female that they were attacking was standing in his way, when he hits her barrier and goes down.

Kagome had her shina at his groin, "You will never come back here again. If I ever see you in this part of the city you will not have any balls left to make children, do you understand what I am saying?"

The gang leader was terrified of this crazy female, "I won't come back, you have my word on that. I promise never to return to this part of the city."

Kagome moved away and let the male rise from the ground. She tries to leave the area when she sensed that he was coming towards her one more time. She quickly turns and brings her shina up with tremendous force, hitting him between his legs, shattering what he holds so dear to his heart. He shrieked in pain and fell to the ground unconscious.

Kagome put her shina back on her back, satisfied with her handiwork, and made her way home. She needed to treat her wounds and get back to finding the spell that will make Sesshoumaru normal once more.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was in the sacred tree, he was trying to get his emotions under control. That little miko has thrown his life in turmoil, never has he ever questioned his decisions, but now he was finding it hard not to.

After a few hours of mediating he concluded that he was taking things out of context and maybe reading too much in what she was doing for him. She was trying her best when she saw to all his needs like she would see to the needs of her pack.

It was strange for him to be on the receiving end of all of this. He was an alpha and it has always been his right to protect and take care of his pack. He takes care of Rin's needs daily and no one ever questions his actions but here he was questioning the little miko's efforts in being a good alpha.

Sesshoumaru made the decision that he should speak to the little miko and let her know that he likes the kimono that she made for him. He looked down at the sleeves and noticed all the detail that went into the embroidery. It was fine craftsmanship and he would not mind letting her make his kimono for him.

Then he heard something that was not to his liking. The miko's mother was looking for her and the little miko was nowhere to be found. Sesshoumaru opened his senses and he was unable to locate the little miko, he did not like this one bit. He has been so focused on his thinking that he never noticed when the little miko left the shrine.

Sesshoumaru quickly stood and formed his cloud underneath his feet. He took off towards the front gates and tried to leave the shrine to go after her. He was moving quickly across the shrine when he hit the barrier full force and was bounced back into the shrine. He hit the ground hard as he held his head and looked at the entrance.

There was a powerful barrier set up around the shrine that will not allow him to leave the area. He was pissed, the little miko has left him behind, but more importantly, she left here unprotected. He got up, forming his cloud under his feet, he made his way back to the miko's mother. Maybe she would know how he could leave the shrine that was now protected by a barrier.

-oOo-

Asumi went outside to get her daughter. It was almost lunch time and she wanted to make sure that her daughter ate. Kagome would get so involved in her research that she sometimes forgets to eat. She went to the building where the scrolls are being kept but to her surprise it was empty. Not even the little Youkai lord was in the area. She turns and starts calling and looking for her daughter.

Asumi was getting upset that she could not find her daughter. She saw Sesshoumaru coming towards her and asked, "Sesshoumaru-sama, have you seen my daughter?"

Sesshoumaru stopped in front of the miko's mother, he was agitated at not being able to leave the shrine grounds, "No, I have not seen her. The last time I saw her, she was leaving the building we were in, I think that we both had a misunderstanding and she went to cool off."

Asumi was getting worried that her daughter went for a walk. She often went out on her own when she was upset about something. But this place was not safe anymore. She could get attacked by that gang that was in the area. "I'm afraid that my daughter has left the shrine. If she did she could be hurt by that gang that is in the area. It's not safe for her to be out alone."

Sesshoumaru gave a vicious growl, the miko was out on her own and she could be attacked. This did not sit well with Sesshoumaru, he was about to ask her mother for another way out of the shrine, when he picked up the scent of blood. It was coming towards them when he went to the front stairs and looked down. What his saw made his blood boil.

-oOo-

Kagome was slowly making her way home. She was hurting but it was nothing that she could not heal once she was home. She made it to the shrine steps and slowly started to climb them, it was slow going. Her stomach hurt and she couldn't move very fast at all.

She finally made it towards the top when she heard a vicious growl and a scream coming her way. She looked up in time to see her mother running towards her, then she saw the fear in her mother's eyes.

Asumi noticed when the Youkai lord left her and went to the front stairs, she was wondering what was going on when she saw her daughter coming back home. She was hurt, there was blood coming from her lip, and she has bruises all over her face. She ran to her daughter as fast as her legs could carry her. When she got to her she asked, "Kagome what happened to you?"

Kagome continued walking and answered, "I ran into the gang that Souta was a part of, I had to persuade them to leave the area. They didn't want to leave at first but when I finished my little talk with them, they have no intension of staying here in this part of the city. You should have no more problems with the gang."

Asumi was shocked to hear this and helped her daughter into the house so she could get her cleaned up.

Asumi quickly took her daughter into the kitchen, she looked for her first aid kit and then she cleaned up her wounds. When she was done, her daughter stood up and went upstairs to her room.

Kagome did not want to be fussed over. These were only minor wounds. She had worse and survived. When she entered her room Sesshoumaru was waiting there for her.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was following the miko while her mother tended to her wounds. She was hurt and he was displeased. The little miko took it upon herself to make sure that this gang left the area, she was successful in her mission but she was hurt.

Sesshoumaru's beast was annoyed when he saw the little miko. If he was with her she wouldn't have been hurt. He was not taking her being injured very well and Sesshoumaru was having a hard time keeping his beast under control. He moved away from the little miko until he could calm his inner Inu.

Sesshoumaru went up to the miko's room and succeeded in calming his beast back down. When he was finally in control he felt the little miko coming upstairs. He waited until she got to her room and entered. She was not paying attention to him, which should have told him that the little miko was still angry over their earlier disagreement, "Miko why did you leave the shrine without me? You know that I am to go with you wherever you go."

Kagome heard the Youkai Lord speaking to her and she chose not to answer. She did not have to answer to him. He was not her alpha and never will be. She went to her closet and got some fresh clothes, she needed a bath to get the stench from those fools off her, she turned and started to leave the room.

Sesshoumaru was got irritated when the little miko did not answer his question. "Miko, answer me! Why did you leave?"

Kagome had enough, she turned her heated eyes to look at the Youkai Lord.

Sesshoumaru was shocked when he saw her eyes. They were white, her powers were growing stronger by the minute. He could tell that she was mad and her temper was getting the better of her. "I do not have to answer your questions. YOU ARE NOT MY ALPHA! You are a guest in my pack. My job is to protect you until I can discover how to break that curse that you're under. Once I do we will part ways. My obligation to you will be fulfilled." Kagome turned and left the room before she did something she would regret later.

Sesshoumaru was stunned by her reply. He had no idea why she was acting this way. His beast was about to let him have it for hurting his little female. **_'_** ** _You ask why she is acting this way? She has every right to act this way. You turned your back on her. You refuse to see her for who and what she is. You demand answers from her knowing that she is not of our pack. She is right, she does not have to answer our questions. WE are not her alpha! You saw to that when you rejected her for being ningen. And as soon as she finds the answer to our problem she will leave us.'_**

Sesshoumaru was not surprised that his beast was speaking to him in this manner. But what caught him off guard was that his beast did not try to take control, he went back into the deepest part of his mind. He felt like his beast was abandoning him and he didn't like this feeling.

But his beast was correct in what he was saying. He has rejected the little miko and as soon as she finds the spell to return him to normal she will leave him behind.

Sesshoumaru found himself not liking this idea at all. He has grown fond of the little miko and enjoyed her company. The thought of her leaving him behind did not sit well with him. He formed his cloud under his feet and went to see if he could talk to the little miko.

Sesshoumaru made his way to the bathroom but found that the door was locked. Then he got an idea, he went back to the little miko's room and flew out the window. He moved to the next window, he thought that this was the window to the bathroom. He was right when he looked in and saw her.

Sesshoumaru saw several dark bruises on her chest and side. She has bruises on her legs and backside. She was hurt more than he thought she was, then he felt something painful in his chest. His breathing became labored while the pain increased. He has no idea what was going on, but the sight of the miko hit him hard.

Sesshoumaru's beast was relentless and he came back with a vengeance, **_'_** ** _This is your fault. She was hurt because of your cold nature. If you did not turn your back on her she would not be hurt like this. Our miko is hurting right now and there is nothing that we can say or do that will take away the pain that she is feeling. I hope that you are happy about what you have done. You have broken the miko worse than the half breed.'_**

Sesshoumaru was not taking his beasts words too well. He could not handle the fact that he was worse than the half breed. He moved away from the window and went back into the miko's room. He tries to calm down so he can think about what he wanted to do.

-oOo-

Kagome left her room in a hurry and went into the bathroom. She did not want to deal with Sesshoumaru now. She knew that he has issues with seeing her hurt, but he will have to get over it.

She placed her clothes on the counter and started her bath. She reached into the pocket of her pants and pulled out a small vile. The vile contained a potion that will help her body recover from its injuries.

Kaede taught her how to make this potion for when she was injured and needed to heal faster. She didn't have a place where she could use this potion in the feudal era because the hot springs were too large. She did manage to keep some of it at home just in case she needed it when she was practicing in the dojo, she would use it to rejuvenate her body.

Kagome only needed a few drops of this potion in the water for her to heal. Once she put the potion into the water she started to strip her clothes off. She winced in pain while moving her body to get rid of her garments. When she was done, she noticed that she has bruises on her stomach, arms, legs, and chest. She looked in the mirror and for the first time noticed the damage that the idiots did.

The whole right side of her face was bruised, the skin was turning black, blue, and yellow from the force of the punch. Her lip was split open but at least the bleeding has stopped thanks to her mother.

Kagome cursed at herself for letting her guard down and letting this happen to her. She knew better but she became distracted and she was more than paying the price for it. But as she looked at herself in the mirror she could understand why Sesshoumaru was so upset. He has stated repeatedly that he will go everywhere with her to make sure that she does not get hurt.

But with the mood they were both in this morning she thought it best to go off on her own. The next time she leaves the shrine she will have her weapons with her. She did not care anymore since the police did not seem to care about the people that live in the city. She did not understand why they have not taken down the gangs around the city.

Though in hind sight, if the police were doing their job then her brother would be sitting in jail right now and her mother would be a basket case. Yes, her mother could bail him out of jail but she doubted that she would have. She would leave him in there to learn a lesson before she did anything.

Kagome turns and steps into the nice hot water. It felt good on her skin while she tries to relax in the water so she could continue with her thoughts.

Kagome made sure that her family was taken care of. She brought back some kimonos, pottery, chairs, and hair ornaments that she sold to the museum here in town. They were happy to get the artifacts from her since she has one of the oldest shrines in the city, which held a lot of artifacts that was collected through the centuries.

The sale of all that stuff has left her family with a nice nest egg and her mother did not have to worry about going to work. It was enough to keep the shrine running for years to come and if they needed more money, Kagome has a storage shed full of stuff that she has brought back from the feudal era.

Every time Kagome would help a village they would pay them for their services. Sometimes she would get Miroku to ask for a sword, knife, or something out of the ordinary and then bring it back home. To them they were worthless items but for her they were priceless, as they were of the period and they were in very good condition.

The museum would do the carbon dating test on everything she brought back. It always came back to the correct time stamp for the period.

Kagome closed her eyes and tried to relax. She let her powers go over her body and healed all her injuries. By the time she got out of the tub, her entire body was fully healed, with no visible marks. She was sure that Sesshoumaru would be pleased to see that she was fine.

Kagome got dressed and went back into her room. She put her dirty clothes in her hamper while she took her brush and started to brush her hair out. She has concluded that she needed to put her emotions aside and start acting like the alpha she knew she was. Sesshoumaru was correct in one thing. To show her emotions was a big weakness, it was not in her best interest if her opponents were powerful and they use it to their advantage. She must never let her guard down again.

Kagome was about to leave her room when she heard, "Miko, will you stay and speak with me for a few moments?"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru finally got himself under control, he finally made up his mind on what he wanted to do. It was his fault that the little miko got hurt in the first place and he must make amends. This was not easy for him to do because he never, in his entire life, had to say he was sorry.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the little miko came back into the room. She never looked his way and for some reason this hurt him more than having lost his arm to his brother. He noticed when she was brushing her hair, and remembered the first time that she brushed his. It was a heavenly feeling and he has yet to experience anything that was like that.

When he saw that she was about to leave him in her room he asked her to stay. He saw the little miko stop, while she thought about his request. He thought that she might reject speaking to him, he swallowed his pride and said, "Please."

Now Kagome was shocked, Sesshoumaru never said please to anyone. If anything, she was curious to see what he wanted so she went and sat down on her bed. She folded her hands on her lap, never looking at the Youkai Lord, while she waited for him to say his peace.

Sesshoumaru was happy when the little miko sat down, but he was disappointed when she would not look at him. He sighed, while he tried to think of what to say to make things better between them. He let out an exasperated breath, saying, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru would like to… would like to… apologize… for his behavior. You have done nothing wrong and it was I who was wrong."

To say that Kagome was stunned was an understatement. Sesshoumaru, Daiyoukai of the Western Lands, was saying that he was wrong? And he was apologizing? Is he feeling all right?

Kagome looked up from her lap, she observed Sesshoumaru standing there with his head down. She furrowed her eyebrows together wondering what was wrong with him. "Lord Sesshoumaru, you have no reason to apologize to me. You have done nothing wrong. It was I that caused the rift between us. I gave you a substandard kimono and for that I am truly sorry."

Sesshoumaru looked up from his position and looked at the miko. She thought that her garments were substandard. He jumped from where he was and landed on her knee. He looked up and noticed the sadness in her eyes, her beautiful blue eyes were a cloudy blue that showed her upset, "Miko, the garments you gave me are the best garments I have ever worn. I am unused to being on the receiving end of gifts. As alpha I am used to giving and never receiving anything in return."

Kagome blushed at his compliment about the clothes that he received from her. _'_ _He likes them! He actually likes them! I never thought that he would accept the clothes that I made for him. Now that I know that he likes them I will make him a set for when he is returns to normal. These will be special because it will be the only one of its kind in the feudal era.'_

Kagome thought about the rest of his comments. Being an alpha she could relate to what he was saying. There were never any gifts given to her. She had to find a way to provide for her pack as best she could. "Yes, that may be true but that does not mean that you cannot receive gifts from another alpha. Sesshoumaru, I provide kimonos for my pack all the time so this is something that I'm used to doing. If I don't make them for my pack, I bring back fabric that Sango and I can use to make them. It is not the first time and I'm afraid that it won't be the last."

Sesshoumaru was surprised to hear this from the little miko. _'_ _So… I was wrong in thinking that she was going through the mating ritual, she was only doing her job as alpha.'_ He looked up, then he formed his cloud under his feet and floated up to the miko's face. He touched her cheek, wondering if she was still in pain, "You should not have been hurt. I have failed in my promise to you. Does it still hurt?"

Kagome was shocked when he floated up in front of her face and touched her cheek. To her it felt wonderful while she closed her eyes and enjoyed his touch. When she heard his question, she opened her eyes and said, "No, I have healed all of my injuries so it doesn't hurt anymore."

Kagome turned her red face away from Sesshoumaru, saying, "Come, let's go to the building and see if we can find that illusive scroll."

Sesshoumaru agreed then he jumped on her shoulder and sat down.

Kagome got up from her bed, everything was finally back to the way it should be. She and Sesshoumaru have come to terms on what has happened, then she headed downstairs to go to the building with the scrolls. But before she even left the house her mother had her come into the kitchen to eat something. She was not about to let her daughter go off without eating.

Sesshoumaru, to his surprise, was given food as well and they both sat down to eat. When they were done, they went back to the building that held the scrolls. They continued their search until it got too dark to read, then they went back inside the miko's home, they were both disappointed in not finding what they were looking for.

-oOo-

Hello everyone, this is the end to another chapter. I am posting this chapter early because when I posted chapter 7 I got an error and no one got notified that I posted a new story. So, this is like a test to see if it will send out alerts.

Ah one thing that I want to address, if you think that Sesshoumaru is going to get big now, think again. He is staying small for a little while longer. It is part of my story so he will stay small.

In the next chapter join me when Kagome has a day out with Maru. Yes our friendly little doggy wants to play. Let's see how Sesshoumaru handles his other half being let lose for the day.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Day after day Kagome and Sesshoumaru continued to search for the illusive scroll, then 4 days after coming back to her era Kagome thought that she found something. "Sesshoumaru I think I have found the scroll we have been looking for."

Sesshoumaru heard her words, landing on her shoulder he listens, while she read out loud, "The Ultimate Binding Spell. This spell is used to bind a powerful Youkai. It shrinks them down in size and binds their power to a smaller form thus making the Youkai weak. This spell can only be broken when the Ultimate sacrifice is made for the Youkai…"

Kagome wanted to continue reading but part of the scroll was missing. It looked like it was torn off so she did not know what else it had to say about this binding spell.

Kagome sat back while she digested what the scroll said. She has no idea what sacrifice this person must make for Sesshoumaru. The scroll was very ambiguous and with the missing piece it could be anything that they will have to sacrifice. They put everything back in its place and took the scroll back to Kagome's house.

Kagome sat in her room while she pondered what the scroll said, "I have no idea what kind of sacrifice has to be made to break your spell Sesshoumaru. Without the missing piece, it could be anything. We can continue looking to see if we can find something else on this spell, but I have a feeling that we will find nothing. This spell must be very powerful if someone went through the trouble of getting rid of the section that will tell us how to break this curse."

Kagome fingered the scroll once more when she looked at the tear on the piece of parchment. The tear was fresh. It was not torn centuries ago but recently. _'Who would go into the shed to rip apart an ancient scroll?'_

Then a thought came to her mind, there was only one person that could do such a thing. Her Jii-san must have been the one to destroy this scroll. This thought did not sit well with Kagome. If her Jii-san did this, then he was sentencing Sesshoumaru to remain this way for the rest of his life. She continues to think about what the implications could be if he was not returned to his normal size.

Sesshoumaru was sitting on a pillow on her desk while he listened to the little miko speak. He has to agree with her, "I believe that you are correct miko, I don't think that we will find anything else on this spell. I am under the impression that Naraku found a sorcerer that gave him a spell to suppress my powers. But what Naraku failed to see is that my powers exceed his own and for him to bind my powers completely he must bind my beast. This he did not accomplish."

Kagome understood what Sesshoumaru was saying. But she also knew that her Jii-san must have taken the rest of the scroll and she must get it back. She prays that he still has it, because if he didn't, they were stuck trying to break the curse that Sesshoumaru was under, unless they can figure out what this ultimate sacrifice is.

They were both tired and got ready for bed. Sesshoumaru waited until Kagome was asleep before he moves over to her bed and makes himself comfortable on her pillow. He was surprised that his beast was behaving himself since he and the miko seemed to be getting along. He still could not forgive himself for letting her get hurt. The image of what she looked like when she came home that day was still fresh in his mind.

Sesshoumaru finds his favorite spot and lays down to sleep. He was tired, he took in a deep breath and fills his lungs with the miko's scent. It soothed them like nothing else they have ever experienced, and finally he relaxes. His body was starting to feel heavy when he finally drifted off to sleep.

-oOo-

The next morning Kagome woke up before the sun rose. But to her surprise Sesshoumaru was already awake and waiting for her. They both left the house and made their way over to the dojo.

To Kagome's surprise Sesshoumaru wanted her to teach him how to do Tai-chi. She was honored that he wanted to learn from her, she went through the basic techniques for the movements and then spent an hour going through each step.

Sesshoumaru was a fast learner and before long they were both moving in unison as they went through their warm up exercises. Kagome explained that Tia-chi is intended to help you become harmonized with yourself and find internal balance. The physical training consists of slow motions, deep breathing, and meditation. Only in this way could he find the harmony that he was looking for in his body.

By the time they were done Sesshoumaru was exhausted and he could feel his powers and body in harmony with each other. His little female was a wealth of knowledge and he was going to enjoy learning from her.

They both left the dojo and went back to the house to get cleaned up. By the time they came down the rest of the family was up as they all sat down for the morning meal.

Kagome was eyeing her Jii-san, she could tell that he was up to something but she did not know what it was. When she finished eating, she turns towards the old man and asked, "Jii-san have you been in the scroll building lately?"

Jii-san looked up after hearing Kagome's question. He looked away from her and stated bluntly, "No, I haven't been near the building since the day I showed you where you needed to look for your answers."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at her Jii-san, she could tell he was not telling her the truth when she hears Sesshoumaru growling at him.

Sesshoumaru smelled the lie that came from the old man. The little miko asked him a direct question and he lied about what he has done. "Old one, I suggest that you answer truthfully, I can tell that you are being deceitful to the miko. Tell the truth or I will make you."

Jii-san did not like to be talked to in that fashion, "Who are you to tell me what to do? Ever since you have come here you have turned this family upside down. I don't care if you are my granddaughter's guest. You have no right to speak to me that way."

The old man went to standup to leave but he felt strong hands on his shoulders, when they forcibly sat him back down. He looks over his shoulder to see who has a hold of him. To his surprise, it was his granddaughter that has him by the shoulders while he looks into her eyes. His fear went through the roof when he saw that her eyes were turning red.

Kagome was not happy that her grandfather would lie to her. But what got her angry was the way he talked to Sesshoumaru. She has warned him and now he was about to find out what she was capable of.

Before her grandfather had a chance to stand, she moved, she put her hands on his shoulders and sat him back down. Then she said in a deadly voice, "If I were you I would watch what I say from now on Jii-san. What you say next will determine what I'm going to do to you. Did you destroy the scroll I was searching for?"

Jii-san looked away from Kagome. He didn't want to answer that question, then he starts to feel her powers growing. Kagome's hands were turning pink when she slowly starts releasing her Reiryoku. Jii-san was scared that she would kill him, then he yelled, "Yes I destroyed it!"

Sesshoumaru noticed what the little miko was doing. Jumping from his position on the table, he hits the little miko in the chest, pushing her against the wall, before she losses her temper and kills the old fool. He purrs into her ear and saying, "Calm yourself my little miko, if you let your anger get the best of you, then you will kill the old one. Can you live with yourself if you did that?"

Kagome closed her eyes and made herself calm down, he was right she could not live with herself if she knew she killed her own grandfather. She then calms, and her powers start to go back down. When she was in control Sesshoumaru let go of her. He hovered right in front of her face, "Now try again but this time keep your emotions under control."

Kagome nodded then she looked at everyone at the table. Her mother was pale and held her hand over her mouth. Her brother was sitting there with his mouth hanging open and eyes wide.

Her Jii-san looked like he was going to faint, she took another deep breath and said, "Do you have any idea what you have done? By destroying that piece of the scroll, you could have changed history. I need Sesshoumaru to defeat Naraku. If I should fail in defeating him and I can't get the jewel shards away from him, your future will change. I can't defeat this Youkai on my own. I need Sesshoumaru in his normal form for us to have a fighting chance."

"I don't care about him, I'm positive that he is not needed to defeat this Youkai." Jii-san stated in an all-knowing voice.

Kagome turned heated eyes towards her Jii-san, "What makes you so sure that he is not needed?"

Now her Jii-san puffed out his chest and stated, "I found a scroll that said the evil one was defeated by a lone priestess."

Kagome narrowed her eyes, now she was frustrated with her Jii-san, "Did the scroll say what happened to this priestess?"

Jii-san furrowed his eyebrows together, the scroll he read never said what happened to the priestess that fought against that Youkai. He turned his eyes towards his granddaughter, "No the scroll didn't say anything about what happened to the priestess."

"Then you just handed me a death sentence. If I'm the one that kills Naraku it's going to take everything I have to do it and if that happens then my life is forfeited. Naraku is a powerful opponent and it's going to take all of us to defeat him and survive. With one of our members not being able to fight, the responsibility falls on me to deal with him. So, you see, you have changed history because of your selfish act." Kagome was clearly upset, she turns and runs from the house.

Her family was left speechless when they saw her leave. Jii-san turned to Asumi, "I didn't think that me destroying that one scroll would do any harm to Kagome. I just wanted that Youkai out of this house."

Sesshoumaru growled viciously at the old one, "Your hate of Youkai has now sentenced the miko to death. I do hope that you can live with your actions. I am prepared to die to protect her but in this form, I cannot help her fight. She is a powerful miko but even she has her limitations. She was correct when she said that it will take all of us to take down Naraku.

"Even in my normal form Naraku is a formidable opponent. I have my own hate of ningens, but my hate of them is because of what they did to a small child whose parents were killed when they were trying to protect her from bandits. She lived alone in a village where no one cared what happened to her. When she took some fish from a preserve to feed herself they beat her to within an inch of her life.

"She is so pure of heart that when she found me hurt in the forest she helped me to recover from my injuries. She is my ward this day and I keep her safe while we travel. It is people like the miko and Rin that will change the way ningens think to make you survive the centuries so you can build your cities. But I see that in 500 years not much has changed, you still sacrifice your own for your own selfish gains." Sesshoumaru then turns and goes after his miko. He did not want her to leave the shrine and not be protected.

Asumi heard everything that was said and turns heated eyes towards the old man, "If something happens to my daughter I will never forgive you for this. Your prejudices towards others that are different have caused you to lose the only granddaughter you have. It will cause you to lose your only grandson too if something happens to her, because I will leave here to save my son from your hate."

Jii-san didn't know what to do. He never read what that portion of the scroll said, and he has already burnt it. He has made a mess of things and now he might have sentence his only granddaughter to death. Jii-san was beside himself, there was no way that he could fix this, he shook his head and left the kitchen to go and take care of his duties. He had a lot to think about.

-oOo-

Kagome ran out of her house, tears were coming out of her eyes, while she quickly made her way over to Goshinboku. She stops near the tree and looks up. Her grandfather was an idiot and now she will never be able to return Sesshoumaru to his normal size.

She was not upset about dying in the final battle with Naraku. She has come to terms that she was going to die in the feudal era. The only thing she didn't know was, who was going to kill her, would it be Naraku in the end or will it be Inuyasha and Kikyou who will kill her. But what did upset her was that she has failed Sesshoumaru in returning him to normal, all because of what her grandfather did.

Kagome sat down on the ground, she brought her knees up and placed her forehead on her knees. She was gently rocking back and forth while she tried to get her emotions under control. She needed to calm down so she could plan what her next move was going to be.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru rushed outside and looked for the little miko. To his relief, she was still in the shrine and she was sitting by the sacred tree. He made his way over to her, when he notices that she was still crying. It pains him to see her this way, then he states in a very low and soothing voice, "Miko, how can you be sure that the old one has changed history? How do you know that I'm needed in the final battle to defeat Naraku?"

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru was coming after her. She needed some time alone when she heard his questions. She did not see any harm in telling him since her grandfather has changed what is to come. "I'm a seer Sesshoumaru. I can see into the future and make out what is going to happen. In one of my dreams I was told that to defeat Naraku I must undo everything that Naraku has done. Yes, I know that there are things that I cannot undo but that I must keep everyone who is key in this final battle healthy.

"I was shown who will be important in the final battle and you are one of them. Though Inuyasha is acting like an ass right now, I can't kill him out right. He must fight in the final battle against Naraku for us to win. My pack also must be present in the final battle. When we are all there we will fight until Naraku is defeated. I have not seen the final battle yet but what I do know is that you are in your normal form when we fight.

"With my grandfather destroying the scroll that we needed, it's going to be harder for us to defeat Naraku, I have no idea what my Jii-san was thinking about when he did this. The way to win the final battle is to find out what this ultimate sacrifice is and get you back to normal."

Sesshoumaru listened to what the little miko was saying. He has no idea how to fix what is now broken, but he will do all he could to protect the little miko. "Miko, we cannot change what has been done. But I do have a question, how is it that you being in my era does not change what is to come?"

Kagome was listening to what Sesshoumaru was saying. _'He does have a point, how can I be in the feudal era, and not change history? Not many know who I am, only a select few do. Everyone that has seen me refers to me as the miko with the strange kimono. Hmm, I should change that when I go back. I must dress differently to make sure that history does not record a miko who wore strange kimonos._

' _But what if I have already changed history with me being in the feudal era? What have I done to the future?'_ It was too much for her to take in and she got a tremendous headache from it all. "I can't answer your question Sesshoumaru I don't know if I have changed what is to come with me being in the past. All I know is that history does record the existence of the Tama and that there was a priestess that defeats a great Youkai to protect it. But nowhere in history does it say what happens to the jewel or the priestess that protects it."

Sesshoumaru stood there and observed the little miko. He was amazed that so many emotions could run through her eyes in a matter of minutes. When he finally hears her answer, "Then you should not worry miko. Everything in the end will turn out the way it should because good always wins over evil."

Kagome couldn't help but smile at what he is saying, when she looks at the Youkai Lord. She turns her attention towards the sky and decides that she needs to go shopping. She needs to get supplies for the pack before she went back to the feudal era. "Sesshoumaru, I have to leave the shrine for a short period. I must go and buy supplies for us to use. I should return in about two hours' time."

Sesshoumaru hears what the little miko was saying and he was not about to let her go off on her own. "I will come with you."

"No, Sesshoumaru you have to stay here, I can't take the chance of someone spotting you and then we will have nothing but trouble. I can protect you if you stay here in the shrine, but out there, I can't guarantee that you will stay safe. So please stay here until I return." Kagome turns towards the Youkai Lord, her arms were crossed over her chest to get her point across to him. She knew she will have a fight on her hands if she wanted to keep him safe.

Sesshoumaru was having none of it, then stated in a heated voice, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru will accompany you when you leave the shrine. I will not see you get hurt again because you left on your own. This is not negotiable."

Kagome huffed while she tries to think of a way that Sesshoumaru could go with her. Here everyone will notice him riding on her shoulder and if they see him move then there will be trouble. The police can come in and take him away from her. That will only cause trouble because she was not about to let anyone touch him. Too bad he was not in his true form, she was sure that no one would pay attention to him in that form.

Kagome's eyes lit up when she thought about that last part, she turns to the Youkai Lord and asked, "Sesshoumaru can you still change into your true form?"

Sesshoumaru thought that this question was very unusual, he raises an eyebrow at her, you could see the curiosity in his eyes, "Yes I can still transform, why?"

"If you were in your true form then I can take you with me. Inu's are very common in my era and no one will notice you in that form." Kagome stated, while she watches to see what the Youkai Lord was going to do.

Sesshoumaru thought about this idea and that it could work. He agrees to her plan, then he starts to concentrate on his powers, calling his beast forth. His body starts glowing brightly in a red aura, turning him into his true form.

To Kagome's surprise he looked like a cute little puppy. He was a little taller than he was in his ningen form, he still has his markings on his face and forehead while she looks at his all white fur. He has beautiful red eyes, she picks him up with both hands and said, "YOU ARE SO CUTE!

She brought Sesshoumaru closer to her body and starts to run her hand down his fur. She notices that his fur did not feel soft to the touch, then she had a thought, "But before we go out you need a bath. You're filthy!"

Sesshoumaru's beast was happy that he would be spending some time with the little female. It was his chance to see what she thought about him as he came forth in all his glory. But the down side to him transforming was that he was about the same size or slightly taller than his logical side and he did not like this.

But to his surprise the little miko liked his new form. She was holding him close to her chest, after she stated that he looked cute. Sesshoumaru's beast was growling deep in his throat at being this near to the little miko. But all too soon that peace ended when he heard her statement.

Sesshoumaru's beast growled at the idea of a bath. He started to protest but it was no use. In his present form, he was too small to get out of the miko's grasp while she held him against her body. He was thrashing around in her arms when the miko pulled his body closer to hers and forced him to stop. Something was telling him that he was going to lose this argument with the little miko.

Kagome got up and headed towards her house, she ran upstairs and straight into the bathroom with Sesshoumaru tucked under her arm. She got some towels and the shampoo to wash Sesshoumaru with, she took the shower arm down from the wall so she would have something to soak his fur with.

She sat down on the edge of bathtub, then she removes the pup from under her arm and turns him so he was facing her, "I know that you and Sesshoumaru share the same body. But I do know that you are two different entities, therefore I think you should have your own name. I would like to call you 'Maru' will this be ok with you?"

Sesshoumaru's beast was surprised by the miko's request. He has never had his own name before when he hears his logical side say, _'Well are you going to answer the girl or are you going to sit there and stare at her all day?'_

Sesshoumaru's beast growled, then he turned his attention to the little miko. He barked his approval of his new name when he saw the beautiful smile that she gave him. He never knew that giving in to such a small request would make her this happy. He liked making her happy, her eyes turned a bright blue when she was happy, he loved this look.

Kagome eyes lit up when the little puppy barked his approval of her request. She brought him under her chin, gently saying, "Ok from now on I will call you Maru, thank you." She noticed the lick that he gave her and she gave him a kiss on top of his head.

Maru was surprised that she kissed him. He liked it then nuzzled his female. She was everything he wanted in a female and it was his chance to show his other side that she was perfect for them.

Kagome turned around and kneeled on the floor. She reached over and turned on the water. She places Maru in the tub while she tries to get the water temperature right. To her surprise, Maru was barking at the water and made a move to take the shower head out of her hand.

She started laughing at Sesshoumaru's inner Inu, "Maru stop that, you need a bath and you're going to get one. I'm not leaving this house with you looking like that. Your fur is all matted and it shouldn't be like that. You are a handsome Inu and I want everyone to know that when they see you."

Kagome reached over and grabbed the pup with one hand. She pulled her hand away quickly when he bit her finger. His fangs were sharp enough to draw blood and she noticed the sting she had. _'His poison must still be in his body for my finger to hurt like this. I must make sure that he doesn't bite anyone while we are out.'_ She then flared her powers, she heals the wound and gets rid of the poison.

She reached for Maru again but this time she turned him around so he could not see the water then she started soaking his fur down. To her delight, Maru stopped protesting when he stood still for her. She did hear him grumbling under his breath and she could have sworn that he was cursing at her for giving him a bath.

She reached over and grabbed the shampoo, she got a good glob of it in her hand and then put it on his fur. Her fingers were gently massaging his body while she was working the shampoo into his coat.

Maru was in heaven. The little miko's hands were rubbing his body as he growled his pleasure. She touched a sensitive spot on his side when his hind leg came up to scratch. He heard the little miko giggling at what he was doing but he couldn't find it in himself to protest since she continues to scratch that very itchy spot.

Kagome moves her hands all over his body making sure that she got all the dirt out of his fur. Her hands went underneath his body to wash his most private area. She was startled out of her thoughts when he gave a howl. Then she noticed where her hands were and quickly removed them from his private area. She blushed a fiery red, she was embarrassed for touching Sesshoumaru in such a private area. She swallowed hard and continues to bathe Maru, but keeping her hands in the proper place.

Maru was enjoying his bath. He can honestly say that he was enjoying this. He felt the little miko's hands move lower, then they got to a very sensitive spot. When she reached his manhood, he was panting with what she was doing. He could not hold it in any more as he howled his pleasure. To his disappointment, he felt when she removed her hand from that area. That was feeling very good to him and he wanted more.

Then all too soon he felt the water being poured over his body, rinsing the soap off.

Once Kagome got all the soap off him she turned off the water, grabbing Maru she wrapped him in a towel. She got up and left the bathroom, going back into her room. She continued rubbing his body until she got him all dry and then she searched her dresser for an old brush that she had. When she found it, she sat on her bed and started to brush Maru's fur out for him.

Kagome gently brushed out his fur as it shinned beautifully. This time when she brought him to her face, his fur was nice and soft, it looked a lot better than it did. She went to a mirror and asked, "Well what do you think?"

Maru looked at his reflection in the mirror and was surprised to see that his fur was very shinny. The tuff of fur over his shoulder was brushed smoothed as was the rest of his fur. He liked the way he looked, then he turned his attention back to the little miko.

Kagome smiled when she saw him looking in the mirror, when he was done he turned to look at her. She picked him up and laid him on her arm, she was surprised at how light he felt, she thought that he would be heavier for some reason, then she walks out of her house and took Sesshoumaru to see the city.

Kagome did not see any harm in showing him what the future will hold for him if he survived the next 500 years. She carried him close to her chest, while she was quietly talking to him. She was explaining the different things that they were seeing and how some things worked. Sesshoumaru stayed in her arms and he was enjoying his time out of the house, he was looking at everything that this era has to offer.

Every now and then Kagome's hand would gently scratch his ears when he became upset at the males coming close to Kagome. She thought that this was a normal reaction to strangers, when she would scratch, he would stop his growling.

Maru did not like it when the males would come close to his female, when he saw them he would start to growl to get them to move away from what was his. The males in question would look at him with curiosity because his growls were that of a huge Inu. When they saw him in his mates arms they would just smile and move away from the female.

Then Maru noticed that when he growled his little female would reach up with her hand and start to scratch his ear. He groaned in pleasure when he would stop and enjoy her touch. To his surprise, she would kiss the top of his head, he would close his eyes and enjoy her attention. He was beginning to enjoy being released and he has no intention of going back under the control of his logical side.

Sesshoumaru was having his own problems with his beast. It seems that his beast was enjoying the little miko's attention to him and he was very comfortable sitting in her arms. His tail was wagging back and forth while he gently growled his contentment. Never has a female treated his beast this way and he was enjoying every minute of being set free.

Kagome continues to walk down the street, she went to different places and showed Maru what the future looked like. She was walking by the museum when she looked at the building. She thought that Sesshoumaru would like to see this place and asked, "Maru would you like to see what we do with the things that you use in your era? This place holds everything that is old and let others see what it was like in the past."

Sesshoumaru heard the little miko speak and he was curious about this place. He prodded his beast to agree with her suggestion.

But his beast did not want to see this smelly old place, he wanted to be out doors for a while longer, and said to his logical side, _**'I do not desire to go into this place, I want to stay outside for a while and look around.'**_

Sesshoumaru would have none of it, _'I want to go in here to see what has become of our race. Youkai do not exist in this era and I want to know why. From what the little miko has said this place holds everything that is old and we might find out what happened to our kind.'_

Maru listened to his logical side and he did have a point. Now his curiosity was peaked as he turned his attention to the little miko and barked his approval.

Kagome smiled when it seems that Maru and Sesshoumaru have come to an agreement. She heard his approval and made her way up the stairs into the museum. Kagome was about to enter when she heard, "Excuse me Miss, but you can't bring that dog into the museum."

Kagome stopped, while noticing a security guard standing off to the side, she looked at the doors to the museum. There was a sign there that stated that service animals were allowed into the facility and whispered, "Maru, you must behave and do not bite anyone in this place. If you want to see what is inside, you must control yourself."

Maru heard the little miko and growled. He will behave for now but if anyone came near her he was not going to back down. He moves his head closer to her chest and nudges her with his nose, her hand comes up and starts to scratch his ear automatically.

Kagome heard Maru's growl and felt his nudge on her chest, she reaches up and scratches his ear. She walks over to the guard that was talking to her, "Excuse me but doesn't that sign say that service dogs are allowed in the museum?"

The guard looked at the girl standing in front of him, "Yes it does but that's not a service dog. You are not blind or in a wheel chair so he can't enter."

Kagome huffed, "There are many types of service dogs. This one was given to me by my doctors to help me cope with my illnesses. He is my Animal Assisted Therapy dog. He helps me cope with everything around me and keeps my mind on what I want to do. My doctors suggested that I come to the museum to see how I would do on my own."

The guard looks at the dog with a raised eyebrow, "He looks to be just a puppy, how can he be a therapy dog?"

"He may look like a puppy, but he is actually an adult dog. I'm scared of larger dogs so they gave me this one so I could be comfortable with him. They have trained him very well and he will not leave my arms. I don't think that I could deal with everything if he leaves my arms." Kagome continued to watch the guard to see what he would do.

Sesshoumaru on the other hand was curious about the story that the little miko was spinning to the ningen male in front of them. He had no idea what a therapy dog was but it must be something that will allow them to enter this facility.

The guard looked at the girl in front of him, then he looked at the dog. She was moving her fingers through its fur while she was speaking to him. He has heard of these type animals before but has never seen one up close. It appeared that the girl had issues with being out on her own and the dog was a comfort for her. "All right young lady, you may enter today, but make sure that you have your dog's papers with you just in case they ask you for them. He should be wearing a collar with a tag saying that he is a service animal."

Kagome was happy that he was going to let them enter the museum, "Oh he does have his tags on its right here under all of his fur." Kagome got a faraway look in her eyes when her hand went under Maru's neck. To Maru's surprise and that of the guard he saw a collar that was hidden by the fur. There was a red metal chip that said he was a therapy dog.

The guard shook his head, how could he have missed the little dog's tags, "Ok you can go in now. Have fun in the museum."

Kagome smiled, she left the guard and walks into the museum. Sesshoumaru was stunned to see that he was wearing a collar, _'When did the miko put a collar on this Sesshoumaru?'_ But both Maru and Sesshoumaru noticed that there was magic on her fingers as the metal chip stayed where everyone could see it.

They felt nothing around their neck and this was very curious indeed. Both Sesshoumaru and his beast looked on as they entered this strange building. It has things from the era they lived in and it was carefully preserved for everyone to see. They were behind glass so no one could touch them as they were laid out carefully so you can see every detail of the items on display.

Kagome walked around the museum as she explained everything they were seeing. They came to the area where the items she sold to the museum was located. "These are the artifacts that I sold to the museum. As you can see they have all been set up so everyone can see what it was like to live back in the feudal era. Even the simplest of things are valued now for the information they hold. The museum said that they will take care of these items for many years to come."

Sesshoumaru has many questions for the little miko once he was back in his ningen form. He needed these questions answered as they continue going through this museum. Sesshoumaru and Maru saw many things but nothing there will tell them what has happened to the Youkai of old.

When they finished, they left the museum and went home. Kagome was tired and when she finally made it back to the shrine she put Maru down on the ground so he could walk. She watched to see what Maru would do when he was free to go off on his own.

Maru was finally set down as he stretched his legs. He enjoyed being held by the miko but he longed to stretch his legs as well. Once his legs were stretched he then shook his body to feel refreshed. He looks around the area and races off into the small forest that was still around the shrine.

Kagome noticed when Maru ran off into the forest. She thought that he had to go and take care of business while she slowly walks towards the sacred tree. She sat down against the tree and closes her eyes. She was tired today and she just wanted to relax. It was a wonderful day when she showed Sesshoumaru around the city. It was the most fun she has had in a very long time.

Kagome notices when Maru came running back to her. He just looked too cute in his Inu form. She picks him up again and says, "Maru, I enjoyed our time together, and you behaved wonderfully today. But I would like to talk to Sesshoumaru now if you don't mind. I promise that we will spend some more time together in the morning."

Maru was disappointed that she wanted him to transform back into his ningen form. But he did not miss the cuddle she gave him and the kiss on his nose. He was happy, his female was showing him affection as he nuzzled her and licked her neck. She tasted wonderfully and growled his contentment.

When she put him down, Kagome noticed the red aura that surrounded his body as he transformed back into his ningen form. She smiled at the Youkai Lord, "I hope that you enjoyed yourself today Sesshoumaru, but I do know that you must have a lot of questions for me and I'm willing to answer them."

Sesshoumaru was finally back in control while his beast happily went back to his cage. He was happy with the affection that the little miko showed him and he was a little jealous that his beast could get all this attention from the miko and he could not. He was wondering if she would ever show him some attention when he heard her statement.

Sesshoumaru jumped, landing on her knee, he sat down. He has a lot of questions for her, but one question was very important for him to find out how she did it. "Miko, when we were at this museum today you did something that I don't understand how it was done. You placed a collar on this Sesshoumaru with a metal object that you showed that male at the front door, what did you do?"

Kagome eyes lowered when Sesshoumaru called her miko once again. She didn't know what she needed to do to get him to say her name. She heard his question, and thought about it how she should answer it. "I really don't know how I did that Sesshoumaru. I have been growing in power here lately and this was just something that I felt that I could do. I knew what the guard was asking for so I thought about a collar around your neck and the metal tab that he needed to see. It was an illusion that I made and it seemed to have worked because he saw it. I never knew that I could do that until today. So, I guess you could say that I have a new power."

Sesshoumaru was stunned by what the little miko said. This was a very useful power for her to have. It felt real to him when she created the illusion. "Miko, your illusion felt very real to this Sesshoumaru. I felt that collar around my neck and only once I left your arms did it go away. So, you held that illusion for a very long time."

Kagome sat back to rest her body and closed her eyes. _'That must be the reason why I feel so drained right now. I must find a way that I can keep an illusion up without draining my powers. If I can achieve this, then it will be a good weapon against Naraku.'_ She opened her eyes and looked at Sesshoumaru, "If I can perfect this illusion it will be a powerful weapon against Naraku, especially if you say that it felt real. Maybe we can trick him into thinking that you have been returned to your normal form."

Sesshoumaru thought about this idea and he liked it. It will work to their advantage if the little miko could perfect her spell. He looked up and noticed how tired she was. His eyes softened just a bit, "Miko, you are tired, perhaps we can wait until the morning to continue this discussion."

Kagome must agree with Sesshoumaru. She was having a hard time keeping her eyes opened, she got up and staggered back inside the house.

Asumi hears her daughter coming back from her outing and walks out of the kitchen. She was wiping her hands on a kitchen towel when she noticed how tired and drained her daughter looked. She became concerned and asked, "Kagome, what's wrong with you? Why are you so tired?"

Kagome looked at her mother, her eyes were drooping showing how tired she was, "I discovered a new power today and I guess I over used it. I'm tired mama I don't want anything to eat. I think I will go upstairs and lay down."

Asumi agreed to let her daughter go upstairs, then she turned her attention to Sesshoumaru, "My Lord, would you like something to eat?"

Sesshoumaru stopped when he hears the miko's mother talking to him, he turns his attention towards her, "No thank you. I will be going with the miko to keep an eye on her. Thank you for the offer." He then turns and rushes upstairs after the little miko.

Asumi smiled when she saw Sesshoumaru going after her daughter. He might deny his feelings but he cares deeply for her daughter and that made her happy. If he was to ask Kagome to marry him she would not object because she knew he would take care of her for the rest of her life. She turns and goes back into the kitchen to get dinner on the table. She will put some food away for Sesshoumaru and Kagome just in case her daughter wakes up hungry later tonight.

Sesshoumaru hurried on his way and made it up to the miko's room. The door was left open for him, he floated through the door and then closed it behind him. He went over to the bed, noticing that the little miko was already there, and was sound asleep.

He landed right next to her and he was deep in thought. _'She is such a powerful female and she is growing in power every day. To conjure an illusion spell as powerful as she did took a lot out of her. The illusion was so perfect that no one will be able to tell the difference between what is real and what is not.'_

He moves closer to her and whispers, "Sleep well my little miko. We still have a lot of work to do." He then reached over and kissed her gently on her cheek. He pulled away from her, took the end of her blanket and pulled it over her body. He covered her up and then he went to put on his sleeping hakama.

Once he changed Sesshoumaru jumps back to the little miko's bed, looking for his spot, and laid down to rest. He was tired as well, his beast was already settled in his mind and sleeping. The miko's scent was soothing to him, cuddling next to her and he finally fell asleep.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. It was just a play on what Kagome will do with Sesshoumaru's beast and the feelings she invoked in the two of them.

All right I will try to post a new chapter every Thursday night or Friday. That way you all know when to look for a new update. The Fanfiction fandom seems to be having issues releasing alert notices, so this is my way of giving you a heads up when a new chapter will be posted.

In the next chapter Sesshoumaru pulls away from Kagome once again. He is having second thoughts on what their relationship should be. Asumi takes matters into her own hands and confronts Sesshoumaru on his feelings and gives him some food for thought.

But trouble is amiss back in the past and the well has been seal. Join me as we see how she finds her way back to her friends to see what is going on.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next morning Sesshoumaru woke before the little miko. He moves away from her sleeping form and gets dressed for the day. He goes to the window to look out over this strange land. It was still dark outside and he was deep in thought. _'I have to stop sleeping so close to the little miko. I'm getting used to her aura being next to mine and I can't have that. We can never have her as a mate and it will not be fair to her.'_

Sesshoumaru was still battling with his emotions when Kagome finally wakes up. She stretches her weary body and slowly gets out of bed. She goes to her closet and gets some new clothes to wear then leaves her room to get cleaned up.

Kagome was still exhausted from the previous day. She needs to find something that Sesshoumaru can wear around his neck that will look like a therapy dog tag. She didn't think that she could hold the illusion today, even if she wanted to.

Then she has a thought, she still has one more scroll left that she needs to study to finish her training. She was leaving that scroll to take with her, so she can continue with her lessons, until she can perform everything the scroll said. It may hold the answer that she needs, so she decides to go and investigate.

Kagome hurries with her bath, quickly dresses, and goes back to her room. She didn't pay attention to the Youkai Lord, that was there and looks for her scroll. When she finds it she quickly skims through the scroll, she finds what she is looking for while she reads what she needs to do.

She will have to go shopping today for a stone. It must be a special stone, plus something that she can attach to it, so Sesshoumaru can wear it around his neck. It was the perfect spell to protect him, and a way for her to channel her powers into the stone to create an illusion.

She put the scroll away then looks for the Youkai Lord. He was sitting by the window and he appears to be deep in thought. She walks slowly towards the window where he is located, sitting down next to him, she could see that something was wrong. She took a deep breath and said, "Good morning Sesshoumaru, is anything wrong?"

Sesshoumaru was so deep in his thoughts that he never notices when the miko came back into the room. He was still trying to decide what he wants to do when he hears someone talking to him. He notices the little miko sitting next to him, "No, nothing is wrong miko."

Kagome saw that look in his eyes. She knew that he was thinking about her. This was the same look he gave her the last time they got into an argument over the clothes she gave him. She did not want to get upset today. Yesterday was the first time that she had fun, and she wants to keep those happy memories. She gets up and states, "I'm going down to the dojo. If you want to join me then you are more than welcomed to." She turns, she was expecting Sesshoumaru to follow her but he didn't move from his spot, so she leaves the room.

Sesshoumaru fights against his beast and remains in the room. He needs to distance himself from the little miko. It was just too easy to be near, her scent calls to him in a way, that he never thought it could. He was not going to mate her. He will not follow in his father's footsteps and disgrace the Youkai race. He needs a Youkai heir and as soon as he went back to his era he was going to part ways with the miko. He can no longer afford to stay with her.

Kagome went down to practice her Tai-chi. When she was done, she went back home to change her clothes. She notices that Sesshoumaru is still sitting by the window and he never acknowledges her upon her return.

Kagome sighs, he is back to being distant with her and she didn't understand why. She went down to eat and thought about what was going on with Sesshoumaru. Then a thought came to her mind, _'He acted this way when we were getting closer to each other. When I gave him those clothes he thought that it was something else and when I explained that this was just something that I do for my pack he went back to normal._

' _Now we spent the day together. I was having fun with his inner Inu and today he is back to being distant. When I think that I'm getting close to him he pulls away from me and acts different. I can understand that he doesn't have an interest in me but we could still be friends, right?'_

Asumi notices when her daughter came downstairs alone this morning. The little Youkai Lord was not with her and she knew that something was not right. Her daughter barely ate this morning, then she excuses herself to go upstairs.

Kagome walks slowly upstairs. Upon entering her room, she notices that Sesshoumaru has not moved from his position by the window. She got her purse, then asks, "Sesshoumaru, I'm leaving the shrine grounds do you want to come with me?"

Sesshoumaru hears the little miko's words and responds, "No, this Sesshoumaru will not be accompanying you."

A tear goes down Kagome's cheeks, she turns and leaves Sesshoumaru to his thoughts. _'DAMN IT! When am I going to learn not to give my heart away to males that will break it? I know what he is thinking. He doesn't want me because I'm ningen. I thought that we were getting along fine yesterday. I was paying attention to him. I showed him affection and took care of him. Nothing that I have done to this point has convinced him that I'm different from everyone else. We will never be happy together because he can't stand the sight of me._

' _I know that I surprised him with my new powers but I thought that it will be a good addition to what I have to defeat Naraku, but I guess I was wrong. He will never accept someone like me.'_

Kagome walks downstairs when she sees her mother, "Mom, I will be going out for a little while. I will be back by this afternoon."

Asumi understands her daughter, she sees the pain in her eyes and the tears that are going down her cheeks. But what surprises her the most, is that she sees determination in there as well. She is wondering what her daughter is thinking about, then she watches her leave the house. She will pay a little visit to her house guest and see what is going on.

Kagome walks out of the house and looks up toward her bedroom window. She can barely see Sesshoumaru sitting there by the window, then she walks over to the dojo. She wants to get some weapons before she leaves. She is not about to be caught off guard again, and gets some Shuriken's, and her sword.

Kagome looks at her sword. She found this sword in one of the storage sheds in the shrine. The sword was calling to her when she was learning how to control her powers. It was a beautiful sword. It has a tear drop in the middle of the blade. Black leather covers the handle as gold dances around the hilt. The blade itself was solid steal and it was very sharp. The sheath has a beautiful scene of the forest with animals running throughout the sheath.

The sword called to her and that is the only reason that she found it. It was hidden deep in one of the sheds. She doubts that her Jii-san knew that it was there. When she held it in her hands, it pulses with power and the knowledge of how to use it came to her mind. It felt like it belongs in her hand, then she starts her training with it.

Her mother sent her to kendo classes and she learned the art of wielding a sword. She was good, in fact, she was so good that she was offered a place on the international team that would travel the world to show off their skills with a sword and they wanted her to compete. She respectfully declines and goes back to her duties of finding more jewel shards.

She found a scroll that told her how to cast a concealment spell and how to change the size of an object for her to carry it concealed. She cast her spell and her weapons were now hidden on her body, she was now ready and left the shrine. Kagome made sure that she left her barrier in place to prevent Sesshoumaru from leaving the shrine. She was on a mission to find what she needed to give Sesshoumaru her protection, even if he is not with her.

-oOo-

Asumi waits a few minutes for Kagome to be gone from the shrine, when she sees her daughter leave she goes upstairs to see Sesshoumaru. She has an idea what was going on and she hopes that she can help him with his problem.

She has a book in her hand when she walks upstairs then enters her daughter's room. She sees Sesshoumaru sitting on the window sill, she goes over and sits down in front of him. She stays silent for a while to see if he will notice that she was there.

When he did not move, or recognize her she took matters into her own hands, "Sesshoumaru-sama, I understand that you are having problems coming to terms that my daughter is ningen. I understand that you don't want to be with her because she is one. But let me ask you this, does that make her any less of an alpha because she is ningen?

"For centuries, we all have been fighting prejudice in these lands. We don't want someone because the color of their eyes, or the color of their skin, or maybe it's because they don't meet your standards as they come from the bad side of town and socially she will be rejected.

"But the heart knows no prejudice Sesshoumaru, the heart knows only one thing, that it beats for that special someone that makes you feel special. It aches when you see that person get hurt. You feel lonely when they are gone from your side. Your heart feels heavy when you don't know what to do or which way to go.

"But if you let your heart guide you, true happiness can be found in the most unlikely of places. History is riddled with mixed marriages, what makes them more powerful than the rest, is the fact that they overcame all the prejudice that was shown to them.

"They are powerful when they are together and that feeling only gets more powerful as time goes on. Don't turn your back on finding your happiness. Don't walk away from something because you fear of what others may say. Because if you do you will never find the true happiness that you are looking for, and to be alone for the rest of your life, is something that your enemy wants to see happen.

"I brought you something that you should read. This book tells you the history of the Shikon No Tama and what happens in the end. It is what we perceive happens back then but there is no proof. All that is left are the stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. But this book is different. My husband gave me this book and asked me to keep it safe. He didn't want his father to find it because he knew he would destroy it.

"These are the stories of old that were written down by a Taijiya and her husband the monk. Her children kept adding to this book and it has become like a diary of what is to come in your era. Kagome has never seen this book but I think that you will find its context to be interesting."

Sesshoumaru was listening to what the miko's mother was saying to him. She knew what was going on and he was stumped on how she has knowledge of all of this. Her last statement caught him by surprise when he sees the book in her hand. She places it down next to him, but is still holding on to it, then he hears her say, "Sesshoumaru-sama, I can tell that you are interested in my daughter. All I want, is for her to be happy. I think that she deserves that after everything that has happen to her. If you are going to break her heart like Inuyasha did, then I humbly request that you leave her as soon as you get back. I'm sure that she can manage on her own."

Asumi said her peace, she releases the book and leaves. She will give him time to think about her words and she hopes that he makes the right decision. Because if he didn't she knew that she will never see her daughter alive again.

Sesshoumaru notices when the miko's mother leaves the room. He sees the book that is lying next to him, curious at what the Taijiya could have written, he turns and opens it. He begins to read when his eyes open wide. _'This was made by the Taijiya that travels with the little miko. This is an account of their travels together.'_

Sesshoumaru sits there for much of the day and reads the book that was left by the miko's mother. He read all the times that his half-brother will hurt the little miko, of how she helps all those on the lands when his brother wants to turn his back on them because he cannot spare the time to help them.

He was interested in everything that was in there until he reaches a certain spot in the book, _"Kagome came back today with Lord Sesshoumaru. Something is not right because my sister is not acting like herself. When we went to bathe this evening, I ask her what was wrong. She didn't say anything other than everything was fine and that we will be leaving in the morning to continue hunting shards._

" _I thought it strange that once she came back from her home that the Youkai Lord would leave my sister behind. I thought for sure that he has an interest in her but it seems to me that I was wrong."_

Sesshoumaru sighed, this is what he was thinking about doing when they went back to his era. It seems to him that the little miko will take it harder than he thought she would. He turns his attention back to the book and continues to read.

" _It has been a week since Kagome has come back from her era and a week since the Youkai Lord has left our group. My sister has changed since the Youkai Lord abandoned her that day. Gone is the light from her eyes that shone so brightly when she looks upon you. They are dull now and hold no life. Gone are her smiles that would brighten up the worst days. Now she walks around with a stoic look on her face. Her features now remind me of Sesshoumaru and the way that he acts towards anyone on his lands._

" _My sister is now more aloof, she stays to herself most of the time, while she keeps watch over our camp. She has rejected Shippou as her pup and he is not taking it very well. He cries himself to sleep every night but that does not change the way Kagome is acting. Both Miroku and I are scared that Kagome is going to do something stupid in the final battle with Naraku."_

Sesshoumaru gives a vicious growl when he reads that, _'I never wanted for her to reject her own pup. Why is she acting this way? Why is she locking up who she is? I know that she is not like this so what is going through that little head of hers?'_ Then he continues to read.

" _It has been over a moon cycle since Kagome came back from her home and things are getting worse. There are no more jewel shards around and we are all at Edo as we wait for Naraku to make his move._

" _Kagome has been distancing herself from the rest of the pack. Shippou is no longer able to approach her because she will attack him for no reason at all. The poor kit doesn't know what to do, Kagome has been his mother figure since the death of his own parents and the way she is treating him has us all baffled._

" _I think that part of Kagome's behavior is that Sesshoumaru has not contacted her since he left her behind. Kagome has turned into a miniature Sesshoumaru in the way she is behaving._

" _Today we were fighting off Youkai that wanted the jewel shards that Kagome has. She became a thing possessed when she attacked. It was almost like watching Inuyasha fighting the Youkais all over again. She doesn't care if she is injured. Her only concern is to get the remaining jewel shards._

" _What saddens me the most is that she has not gone home during this time. I know that she misses her family but when I ask her why she will not go see her mother she said that she didn't have any family left. It was just her and once her duty was done then she will go home."_

Sesshoumaru heart was beating faster when he read what the Taijiya has to say about his miko. It seems to him that she has decided something and he did not like where this was going.

" _The final battle is finally here, Kami, I do hope that we can defeat Naraku, and that my sister is still here in the end. I will come back and write after the battle."_

Sesshoumaru notices the change in script, he figures that it was the monk that was writing in this book.

" _I am writing in here today because my beloved has been injured in the final battle with Naraku. We have finally defeated Naraku but with a heavy loss. My beloved little sister, Kagome, is dead and I can't help but wonder if she planned all of this in the last two moons._

" _Kagome did everything in her power to push us all away from her when she turned cold toward the youngest of the group. Naraku taunted her while he played with her mind. He made it seem that it was her fault that all of this was happening, from the death of Inuyasha and Kikyou, to being abandoned by the Youkai Lord. He taunted her to the very end and when Kagome could take no more, she released a tremendous attack against him that purified him on the spot._

" _When she finally got, the jewel put back together, she turned and gave us all a sad smile, she told us that she loved us, before she made her wish. To our horror, she fell dead on the ground as the Tama disappeared from her hand._

" _Kami, I don't think that I can ever bury anyone from our family again, it almost killed me in doing so for Kagome. We buried her near the sacred tree. We knew that she would like to be near the tree as it was her favorite place to be when she was alive."_

Sesshoumaru's heart almost stops beating when he read what happen to the miko. He could not believe that she survives the battle with Naraku only to take her own life when she made her wish on the jewel.

He turns his attention back to the book and continues to read, _"Today Sesshoumaru came back after being gone for over 6 moons. He was back to his normal size, much to our surprise. He came looking for Kagome and when we told him what happened, I could see the sadness in his eyes._

" _He asked us to show him where Kagome was buried and we took him to her grave. It was a simple grave with a lone stone marking her place in the earth. It was 20 paces north of the sacred tree when I saw the reaction that the Youkai Lord has in his eyes. He looks to be devastated over her loss. When he left our village, he never said anything to us, he left with his stoic mask in place._

" _But you know, I can tell that he was grieving for my sister. I think that he truly loved her but he waited too long to tell her."_

Sesshoumaru closes the book as he opens the window and leaps out. He needs to see if this was true. He flew over to the sacred tree and heads north. When he thinks that he has counted off the 20 paces he starts looking for her head stone. It only took him a few minutes to find it when he lands on the ground.

To his horror, he found the head stone as it said, "Here lies the Shikon miko. She gave her life to protect our village." Sesshoumaru fell to his knees and he was shaking uncontrollably. _'No, this can't be true! She cannot die, she has to survive until I'm back to normal and I am able to take her as my mate.'_

Sesshoumaru lost control and gave a mournful howl for the loss of his mate. She died because he was not there to protect her. His beast was furious with what his logical side has done, _**'You bastard! Our mate died because you left her unguarded when she finally fought against Naraku. You knew that she would not be strong enough in the end and she ended her life, because you refused to show her your feelings! Are you happy now? Are you happy that you will cause her death?'**_

Sesshoumaru did not know what to do, he was overcome with grief that the little miko will die when they return. But he was hurt to know that he was the cause of her death in the end, for not being there for her.

He got up off the ground and went to the sacred tree. He needs to get a plan together or he will wind up losing the little miko forever. He did not want that, he wants her with him and he was going to do everything within his power to make sure that she stays with him.

Asumi hears a howl that rents through the area. She ran outside to see what was going on. She saw Sesshoumaru coming out of the forest as he goes to the sacred tree. She now knew that he read the diary, and what is going to happen if he left things the way they were.

When Kagome's father told her that Kagome will be traveling to the past, he gave her that book on the same day. He made her promise to do everything in her power to make sure that their daughter survives what is to come.

After his death, she read what was in the diary and decided to find the marker. She found it and she was terrified of what might happen to her daughter. Asumi knew that this was her daughter's fate, and made the conscious decision to protect her. She just hopes that Sesshoumaru will not let her die in the end and that Kagome will live a happy life with him.

Asumi turns and goes back inside. She needs to hide that book again before her daughter comes home. She could not afford to let Kagome to read it and think that her future was set in stone. It was her responsibility to protect her child and she was going to do it by any means necessary.

She finally gets her book back and hides it in her room. She hid it in its normal place, then she went downstairs to finish making the evening meal. Kagome will be returning soon and she hopes that when she comes home this time, that she was not hurt. She did not think that she could handle her daughter being hurt like that again.

-oOo-

Kagome was walking through the mall. She was looking for a special stone that she can use to cast a spell for Sesshoumaru. She has concluded that when they go back to the feudal era she and Sesshoumaru will part company. She knew it was bound to happen and she has come to terms with it.

It was nice to have someone to talk to. She did not have to play the helpless damsel in distress so he could save her. She could be herself and Sesshoumaru appreciated that. But she knew that he hates ningens and he was a Youkai Lord, there was no way they could be together. She will not be accepted by his kind plus she was a miko, something that all Youkai feared.

Kagome continues walking until she came to her favorite store. She walks in and was greeted by the sales clerk who knew her all too well. She would often visit this store to buy fabric to take back to the feudal era.

Ayano looks up to see her favorite customer coming into her store. She quickly puts down what she has in her hand and rushes to her side, "Kagome! It's nice to see you again. You have not been in here for months, how have you been?"

Kagome smiles when she saw Ayano coming towards her. She always has the best fabrics for her. She came to a stop when she hears her questions. "I'm fine Ayano, I have been really busy lately. Do you have any new fabrics for me?"

Ayano smiles and leads Kagome to a back room. There she left her favorite customer while she went to get the fabrics that she has for her. She came back a few minutes later with an arm full of beautiful fabrics for Kagome to see.

Kagome's eyes open wide when she sees the fabrics. They were beautiful. One fabric caught her eye and she pulls it out of the bundle. She looks at the beautiful white fabric. It has dark blue lines going around the edge. There are golden crescent moons and silver stars all over the fabric. _'This fabric is beautiful, Sesshoumaru will look so handsome in something like this.'_

Ayano looks on as Kagome pulls the white fabric from the bundle. She smiles because that was her favorite fabric as well. She then said, "You know Kagome, this fabric comes in blue as well." She then pulls a blue bolt of fabric out of the pile and presents it to Kagome.

Kagome could not ask for anything better. The blue fabric was as beautiful as the white. She made up her mind then and there, "All right I'll take both, and do you have any more of these fabrics?"

"Why yes, I have two more bolts of each color." Ayano answers her favorite customer.

"I will take them all, plus I want this black one, the purple one, this pink one, and this green one. I would also like to have a bolt of interfacing, and I need a new memory card for my sewing machine. I have some ideas on what I want to make with these." Kagome almost purchases all the fabric that Ayano fetched for her review.

As they are walking towards the cash register Kagome notices another fabric that catches her attention. She walks over to the table that was holding it, and looks at the dark green fabric. It was beautiful and when she feels the fabric, an idea came to her, on what she could make to wear back in the feudal era. She then grabs some black fabric like the green one and a yellow one. She takes them all to the cashier. Then she has the store deliver the fabrics to the shrine while she continues shopping.

She went by a shoe store and saw something that appeals to her. She goes inside and gets the sales person to show her the shoe in her size. When she puts it on she was surprised that they were this comfortable.

Kagome looks at her feet while she tries on ankle length boots, that was made of very soft leather. She can move easily with them on her feet. They support her foot the right way, then she turns her attention to the sales clerk, "I'll take this and two more pair."

The clerk was happy to sell her the boots, when Kagome paid for the boots she asks them if they could deliver her boots to the shrine. With a happy smile the store clerk assured her that her boots will be delivered to her home later that day.

Kagome left the store making her way around the mall, still looking for a stone or jewel that will work for her spell. She has now been through the whole mall and she has not found anything that will work. Feeling discouraged she leaves the mall and starts to make her way back home.

She is walking down the street, where smaller stores could be found. She felt a tug in a certain direction. Going with her instincts Kagome follows the pull that she is feeling. She finds this old store that sells antiques and walks in. She is pulled towards a set of display cases and looks at the items in there.

Kagome spots the stone that she has been searching for. It was a blood red stone and it was in the shape of a tear drop. It has a gold ring around the tear drop, with a big ring on top, that will allow you to put a very heavy chain or a thick necklace to wear around your neck.

Kagome smiles at the old man that comes towards her, when she hears him ask, "Hello young lady, how may I help you today?"

Kagome could not help but think that she knew this person from somewhere, she came out of her thoughts and said, "Yes, I would like to see that red stone right there."

The old man pulls the red stone from the show case and presents it to Kagome. The moment that Kagome touches the stone she knew it was what she needed. She looks up at the old man and says, "I'll take this stone."

The old man was happy to sell something to the young girl. He puts the stone into a box for her and goes to ring it up.

Kagome spots a leather necklace hanging near the old man, it looks to be strong, so she took one down to inspect it. She found that the necklace was of the highest quality, she then puts it down on the counter to pay for it and her stone.

Finally getting what she wanted Kagome heads home. She must look at her scroll one more time before she can cast her spell. She needs to make sure that she gets this right. It's going to take a lot of her energy to create this spell and she wanted to make sure that the spell was cast correctly.

While Kagome was walking down the street she notices a difference in the area. People were now out of their homes and sitting in the sun. There were children playing on the sidewalks as their mothers looked on to make sure they stay safe.

She was passing by a group of women when she hears one of them say, "Did you hear what happen to that gang that was terrorizing the area? They were found in the park unconscious and they were severely beaten. They took the leader of the gang to the hospital, because his testicles were destroyed. The police said that whatever he got hit with must have had tremendous power behind it to cause such damage. None of them have identified their attacker but they have not come back to this area, and for that I'm grateful."

Kagome continues walking and smiles. _'So, the gang is finally gone from this area. At least things can get back to normal.'_ She makes her way home and climbs up the stairs to the shrine.

Immediately she scans the area for Sesshoumaru and notices that he is in the sacred tree. _'He is so much like his brother, both use this tree to think, I know that is why he is up there.'_ She continues walking and heads for her home, entering, she looks for her mother.

After greeting her mother, and finding out that dinner was still a few hours away, Kagome goes upstairs. She finds her scroll; she takes it with her and goes to her dojo. She needed the protection of the dojo for what she was about to do. At least she has the satisfaction of knowing that she will not destroy her home if her powers get out of control.

She made sure of that some time ago, when she found a spell that would contain her powers if they got out of hand. It was a good thing that she did. Her powers have gone out of control a couple of times, now she has control over them.

Kagome walks to the middle of the dojo and pulls the box from her pocket. She removes the stone from the box and threads the leather necklace through the loop. It was perfect as she ties it off and pulls out her scroll. She re-reads what she must do, puts it down and gets ready.

Kagome holds the stone in the palm of her hands. Slowly she gathers her powers as she recites the ancient words:

 _Come to me elements of the world,_

 _Fire, air, water, and earth,_

 _Come to me oh spirit of the forest,_

 _For within you I find strength,_

 _Come to me oh heart of the land,_

 _For in you I have the power to protect,_

 _Come to me oh spirit of my soul,_

 _For you will bind my spell,_

 _Let no harm, let no soul,_

 _Touch the one who wears my stone._

Kagome's body starts to glow as her inner most powers comes forth. She engulfs the stone in her powers when her spell is cast. The stone rises from the palm of her hands, as it floats in front of her face.

Kagome's eyes turn white as she continues to pour her powers into this stone. A small blue orb leaves her body as it goes into the stone that is floating in front of her. The red tear drop explodes with power as the spell was finally set inside of it.

Kagome's power slowly goes back down as the stone lands gently in the palm of her hands. When she looks at the stone there is a lone blue teardrop in the middle. She finally sits down because it has taken a tremendous amount of her energy to make this spell. She is breathing hard from her efforts, she manages to put the stone away, not wanting anyone to see what she has done.

A minute goes by when she hears, "Miko are you all right?"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was sitting in the sacred tree, he was trying to find the answer to what he read this day. He was so deep in thought that he never notices when the little miko came back to her home.

He was brought out of his thoughts when he feels a tremendous amount of energy being released in the dojo. He forms his cloud under his feet and races to the dojo to see what is going on. To his surprise, he spots the miko on the floor and she was breathing hard. He approaches her with caution while he asks his question.

To Sesshoumaru's surprise when the little miko answers his question it was in a voice that he was all too familiar with.

Kagome feels when Sesshoumaru is floating behind her, she takes a deep breath and answers, "Lord Sesshoumaru, everything is fine with this Kagome. I am in no need of assistance at the moment."

Sesshoumaru was caught off guard when he hears her reply. Her voice sounds so cold and distant that he moves in to face her. What he saw was not to his liking. Her expressive eyes were gone. In their place was a cold look that will freeze the strongest of their enemies. Her features were cold and hard, almost like his. He did not like this new Kagome, and states, "Miko, why are you acting like this? I demand that you return to your normal self."

Kagome raises an eyebrow to the Youkai Lord, she was just doing like he suggested to her, "This Kagome has no idea what you are talking about. I am acting the way an alpha is supposed to act in their pack. I will not show any weakness to my enemies and my emotions are now locked within this person. I have taken your advice to heart Lord Sesshoumaru, in this way I will be a more productive alpha for my pack when we go back."

Sesshoumaru could not believe what he was hearing. His little miko was taking the first steps to closing off her emotions and he must stop her. The book keeps coming back to his mind, "Miko, you hide your emotions from your enemy, not from your pack and especially not from me."

Kagome turns away from Sesshoumaru and holds on to her will. She will not back down and return to the way she was before. He will only reject her again; he was playing with her emotions and she had enough. "This Kagome will not honor your request. You are not part of my pack, you are a guest. I will do what I must to gather the remaining jewel shards and kill Naraku. Once my mission is accomplished I will leave you all to live out your lives. I will no longer be needed."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this. His female was no longer listening to him and he was afraid that he has lost her because of his behavior. He was trying to think of a way to get to her when he notices that she is leaving the dojo.

Kagome is not going to bend to the Youkai Lords will. It was time that she went back home. The evening meal is almost ready, she got up off the ground and starts to make her way back to her house. She is not going to leave herself open to get hurt again. She is tired of getting hurt and that is going to stop. She knows what she needs to do and she was determined to do it, with or without Sesshoumaru's help.

-oOo-

The evening meal was a quiet one. No one at the table was talking, Kagome's family were keeping their mouth shut while they look at Kagome and the Youkai Lord. It was apparent to them that something is going on between the two of them. Sesshoumaru was eyeing the little miko out of the corner of his eye. She still has that cold mask on her face while she continues to eat.

Kagome notices that Sesshoumaru kept staring at her during their meal. She was not going to back down to him, just so he could hurt her again. She could take a hint and it took two hits for her to get it, but she did get his message loud and clear. He did not want to get close to her so she was going to make it easy for him.

When everyone was done eating, Kagome helps her mother clean up the kitchen. Asumi notices the way her daughter was acting during dinner and she didn't like this behavior. Once everyone was out of the kitchen she takes the opportunity to set her daughter straight on a few things.

Asumi notices the expression on Kagome's face, it was a cold mask that told everyone to stay away or they will suffer her wrath. This was not the way she raised her daughter and she was not going to act this way in her home, "Kagome, what is wrong with you?"

Kagome looks at her mother and states rather coldly, "There is nothing wrong mom."

Asumi rounded on her daughter, she looks at her straight in the eyes, "Kagome, I want you to stop this right now. I don't like this cold attitude that you are displaying and you will not use it on me young lady."

Kagome lowers her eyes, and sighs. She did not mean to make her mother mad at her. "I'm sorry momma I didn't mean for you to get mad at me."

Asumi wipes her hands dry, it was now time that she set her daughter straight on a few things, "Kagome, you can't be acting this way. Do you think that you are the only one that has been hurt in their life? What do you think he is feeling right now?"

Kagome huffs, she knew exactly how he was feeling because he has made it very clear to her that he was not interested in her, "He has rejected me twice now mom. I get it, I really do he doesn't want me so I'm making it easier for him to stay away from me."

"Kagome Higurashi, how dare you think that way! Have you forgotten what it is like to be shunned because you're different? Do you think that Sesshoumaru is not thinking about all of this?" Asumi tries to reason with her daughter but it looks like she was going to have to give her a reality check.

"Sit down Kagome we need to talk." Asumi states in a no non-sense voice, she was going to get through to her daughter one way or another. "Kagome, Sesshoumaru is a Youkai Lord. He has a lot of responsibility and I know that the other Lords of the lands will have something to say about the female he takes as a mate. He is battling a lot of things because of his feelings. It was the same with me and your father when we first met."

Kagome looks up as she asks, "You and daddy had problems at first?"

Asumi smiles a sad smile while she remembers the time that she was with her love, "What do you think Kagome? I'm not Japanese and it was looked down upon in this culture to marry outside your race. Your grandfather didn't want me around his only son. I think that to this day he still doesn't want me here. But he accepts me being here because of you and your brother.

"We had to fight tooth and nail so we could be together. I sacrificed so much because I wanted to be with him and I didn't care what I was called or whether I was accepted by anyone, as long as I had your father, I was happy.

"I have tried to teach you this throughout the years. It doesn't matter whether you are of the same race, if you love each other enough to fight to be together then the fight is worth it.

"There are still prejudices in the world Kagome, I don't think that it will ever go away but as our race matures and grows it is slowly going away. Your brother doesn't have a hard time in school the way you did. I remember when you came home crying because the other children made fun of your eyes. Your eyes were not the same as theirs, so they made fun of you."

Kagome listens to her mother, she has forgotten about the name calling that she went through when she went to school. The way she was shunned by her peers because she was different. But after a while all of that seem to stop when she made friends in her school and starts to live a normal life.

Kagome was deep in thought when she hears her mother continue, "Kagome did it ever occur to you that Sesshoumaru has issues because of his size? I mean if he wants to court you properly he will never be able to do it because he is so small. I don't know that much about Youkai marriages but it seems to me that it will be very complicated.

"If this is the case then you acting cold and indifferent will not do. I know that you are falling for him because I have been watching you. You never cared about Inuyasha as much as you care about Sesshoumaru.

"But let me ask you this, how much are you willing to fight to be with him? Will you fight him and anyone else to get what you desire? Or will you just give up on him and life because it is just too hard for you and you don't want to get hurt anymore?"

Kagome could not answer her mother's questions. She didn't know how much she was willing to fight to be with someone. She thought that she fought long and hard to keep Inuyasha but that was never meant to happen, especially when Kikyou was brought back from the dead.

But she has not given Sesshoumaru a chance and she is turning her back on him before she finds out what he really wants. She didn't even know if he even liked her, let alone love her. She could tell that his beast cares for her, he was very affectionate.

Kagome looks at her mother, and sighs, "I can't answer your question mama. I thought that I fought hard to keep Inuyasha but I guess I didn't try hard enough. I don't know what to do about Sesshoumaru. I mean when I feel that we are getting closer he pulls away and turns his back on me. He rejects me in a way that is hurtful. I don't want to get hurt anymore. If he just came out and told me that he didn't care about me then I would be happy with that. But he seems to be leading me on and then suddenly, he is turning against me."

Asumi understands what her daughter is saying but it still did not excuse her attitude. "I will leave it up to you on what you want to do, but your attitude will be changing. You will not be acting cold towards Sesshoumaru. I raised you better than that and there are other ways to keep him away from you, beside you turning cold towards everyone. Am I understood?"

Kagome nods to her mother in understanding. She just couldn't win no matter how hard she tries. She got up from the table and went outside, she needed some fresh air and some time alone to think. She walks over to the sacred tree and looks up. She always did have a special bond with this tree. She doesn't know why but she just did.

She put her hand on the bark of the tree and closes her eyes. This tree has survived for centuries and it was growing strong in the past. It's here now in the present with her, she feels her connection to this tree. Her mind calms while she thought about what she wants to do. Suddenly all the decisions that she has made previously, on her way home from the mall, did not seem right to her. She could not turn her back on her friends, she could not find it in her heart to turn Shippou away from her.

' _What have I been thinking? I can't turn my heart away from Shippou, I love him as my own son and to turn him away from me will hurt him more than anything. He has lost so much in his young life already and I have given him the hope of having a mother again. Someone who will take care of him, and protect him for as long as he lives, but what am I going to do with Sesshoumaru?_

' _I'm so confused right now and I know in my heart that we can never be together. So maybe I can love him from afar and be happy with that. Once Naraku is defeated maybe things will change between us.'_ Kagome turns and wipes away the tears that were going down her cheeks. She sat down and leans back, trying to relax against the tree.

This tree always has a way of calming her down when she was stressed or confused. She can think clearly and make the decisions that needs to be made. It comforted her when she was sad and gives her strength when she needs it. She closes her eyes and thinks about the life that she is living.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. I am truly sorry but you will have to wait until the next chapter to see what happens in the past.

I just have something to say, I enjoy reading the reviews I get from all of you. You are all imaginative in what will happen next. Some of you are right on and others well you are in left field but I still enjoy reading them. It brings up my spirit when I'm feeling down. With that said, I want to say that this is a fiction, I may reference something from the real world but I make it fit into my fantasy. It is not meant to be real nor it is meant to be the truth. So, if you were hoping for that then this is not a story for you. Sometimes reality is boring and doesn't fit in with what I have going on in my brain. Well enough of that.

In the next chapter there is trouble brewing in the past and Kagome finds the well sealed. The emotional drama between Kagome and Sesshoumaru is not over by a long shot. These two must first get to know each other and then we must get Sesshoumaru to say something to Kagome. So join me in the next chapter as things get interesting.

Until the next time 

Ja ni!


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Sesshoumaru was in the sacred tree thinking, he was trying to come up with a plan to get the little miko to open her heart once more. So far, his little female is not listening to him, she is being defiant and he didn't know what to do.

If he was in his normal form he would just subdue her and make her submit to him, but he wasn't in his normal form. He is small and their lies his problem. How does he make her submit to his will when he cannot force her into submission?

Sesshoumaru was about to leave the tree when he hears a noise. He turns his attention to where the noise is coming from and sees the little miko coming out of her home. He watches from his perch to see where she was going. To his surprised she heads straight for the tree he was in, and then places her hand on the tree. She stands there for a few minutes when he smells her tears and he knew now that she was crying.

Sesshoumaru hates to see her cry and to think that he was the cause of it was troubling to him. The worst part is that his beast is refusing to speak to him since they found her grave. He was upset at losing the miko and he could not blame him, he was upset as well.

He looks back down and notices when the little miko sits down on the ground. Her eyes are closed but at least she was not crying anymore. He decides to go and talk to her, he needs her to open her heart again so that she does not reject the little kit when she goes back.

Sesshoumaru jumps from the tree and lands right in front of her. He looks up and softly says, "Miko, we need to talk."

Kagome sighs, all she wants is some alone time to think, but that was something that she can never get. She opens her eyes, and looks at the Youkai Lord, he was just standing there looking at her with concern in his eyes. She huffs at his reactions and states, "How may I help you Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru sighs this was not going to be easy, she was back to using honorifics and he hated to hear this from her. "I would like to talk to you about what you are going to do once we return to my era. We must have a plan of attack if we are to defeat Naraku and restore me back to normal."

Kagome rubs her forehead. She was getting a headache with everything that was happening here lately. She turns her attention back to Sesshoumaru, "When I return I will continue with the shard hunt. The shards must be found as soon as possible or Naraku will get a hold of them.

"I must deal with Inuyasha since he will be after the jewel shards as well. But I think that I can handle him, all I must do is stay away from him and he will not present a danger to me or my pack.

"As for Naraku I will probably not find him until the jewel shards are found. Right now, we each hold about half the jewel shards. Koga has two of them and Sango's little brother holds the last one. Once all the shards have been found then I will retrieve the shards from Koga. The hardest one to get will be Kohaku's because Naraku has control over him. If we can get him away from Naraku then we will have the shard."

Kagome sighs while she tries to tell him her plans to restore him, "Because of my Jii-san we do not have the answers we need to remove your curse. I am unable to keep my promise to return you to normal and I have failed.

"I understand that when we return that we will go our separate ways. But I have something for you to wear. It will protect you even in your present form while you are away from me. It's the only thing that I can offer you for my failure in not returning you to your normal size."

Sesshoumaru was stunned to hear what the little miko was planning. It was worse than he thought, then he notices her reaching into her hakama and pulling out a blood red jewel.

Kagome was trying to hold back her tears, she reaches into her pocket and takes out the jewel that she cast her protection spell on. The jewel glows brightly while she holds it in her hand. She closes her fingers around the jewel and prays that he will accept her gift.

It was the best that she can offer him, for now. "I have put a protection spell in this jewel that will keep you safe. I hope that you can find it within you to accept this little token from me. It's not much but it's the best that I can do under the circumstances."

Kagome then holds the jewel by the leather necklace as she lets him see the jewel.

Sesshoumaru could feel the power that was in the jewel. He looks up and said, "Miko, your gift is appreciated but I cannot wear it, it's too large to fit around my neck."

Kagome eyes lit up when she brings the jewel back into her hands. He was not rejecting her gift; he was saying that he couldn't wear it because he could not put it around his neck. Well she has a spell that will work to get it around his neck.

Kagome closes her eyes and cast her spell. When she is done, she opens her hand and picks up the necklace with her fingernail. She then brings it closer to Sesshoumaru. "I think that this will fit you now Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru's eyes open wide when he sees what the miko is doing. She was casting a spell and he didn't know what it would do, he was not familiar with this spell. When she presents him with the necklace in miniature form he is surprised. It is now small enough for him to wear, he reaches out and takes the necklace from her finger.

He slips it over his head as the necklace rests comfortably against his skin. When he put it on the spell activated to protect him, he felt its power go over his body. The feeling was incredible because he feels a slight heat go over his skin. When the spell finishes, it stops, then he said with gratitude, "Thank you miko."

Sesshoumaru thinks for a minute and continues, "But when we return I will not be leaving your company. I have no intension of leaving your side."

Kagome eyes open wide, "But you hate me! Why do you want to continue to travel with me when you loath being with ningens?"

Sesshoumaru growls, this was going to be harder to explain, "Miko this Sesshoumaru does not hate ningens. He despises them for what they do to their own kind. You must understand miko, Youkai take care of each other. It's only the lower level Youkai that do not. Because I am Lord to my lands I take care of all the Youkai that live there. I also have ningen villages that live on my lands and are under my protection.

"Those villages know what is expected and they take care of the other ningens on the lands. They help each other in time of need and they will never turn their backs on one of their own. It is the way of things. I have not, nor do I hate you, miko."

Kagome was blown away by what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. He did not hate her he just dislikes the way ningens treat other ningens. She must admit that she hates the way they treat each other as well. She even has problems with the ningens in her era, like the gang she got rid of from this area.

Kagome is about to answer Sesshoumaru when she goes stiff. Her breathing becomes labored, then she hears Shippou's cry for help. Someone was attacking the village and they are after her son.

Kagome threw her head back when her body starts to glow. Her only thoughts were of Shippou and getting to him as soon as possible. She struggles to get up, then turns her attention to the well. She must get back to the feudal era, she races towards the well, while she says, "Hold on Shippou, I'm coming."

Sesshoumaru notices that something was not right with the miko. Her powers were getting stronger as her body starts to glow. "Miko, what is wrong? What's going on?" But Sesshoumaru receives no answer from the miko. He notices her looking at the well, then she starts to run. He jumps on her shoulder and holds on for dear life. He was not about to be left behind.

Kagome's mind was on getting to the feudal era and Shippou. She finally makes it to the well as she sits on the ledge and then jumps in. But instead of getting the blue light to travel through time she lands hard at the bottom of the well. The well has been sealed and she could not return.

Kagome groans when she gets up off the ground. She was rubbing her shoulder and said under her breath, "How did they seal the well? I left a barrier up surrounding the well that Kikyou has no access to. Something is not right and I have to get back."

Sesshoumaru notices that the well was not producing the blue light that allows them to travel back in time. He jumps from Kagome's shoulder and tries to slow her fall. He slows her enough not to cause her any injuries as the little miko gets back up and climbs out of the well. Sesshoumaru was hot on her heels when she goes back to the sacred tree.

Kagome was breathing hard, finally reaching the tree. She puts her hand on the tree and her body is engulfed in a pure white light. The jewel that was hanging around Kagome's neck was glowing brightly as it was slowly taken into her body. This gived her the extra power that she needs. The sacred tree takes on the same glow and it is lighting up the area.

Sesshoumaru seeing what was happening to the little miko rushes to her side and attaches himself to her neck. His tail is wrapped around her neck while he growls gently into her ear, "I will go with you my little miko, even if we die, I will go with you." His words were so sincere that it touches Kagome's heart. Her powers grew even more as Kagome's soul detaches from her body.

Kagome's spirit formed away from her body, she is dressed in white with black body armor. She notices right away that Sesshoumaru was with her, she turns, saying in a ghostly voice, "Sesshoumaru-sama, please stay here, I must return to the past and find out what is going on. Shippou is calling for me and once I have taken care of the problem I will return to this era."

Sesshoumaru opens his eyes when he hears the little miko speaking to him. He looks to the side and notices that the miko was still standing there with her hand on the tree. He saw his own body there as well and turns to the one speaking to him.

Sesshoumaru notices right away the beautiful female standing next to him. It was his little miko and she was gorgeous. She was dressed almost like him, she has on black chest armor and a sword on her side. He stood tall and answers, "I will be going with you. I will stay by your side even in death."

Kagome smiles when she understands his words. She feels her heart flutter, while it beat a little faster. It made her feel special like maybe she was not worthless after all, then she turns her attention to the business at hand.

Sesshoumaru understands, he floats over to her shoulder and sits down. Kagome's spirit then turns and heads for the sacred tree. Her body was still there providing power, when she passes through the tree. When they came out they were back in the feudal era and there was a battle going on near the well. She turns and takes off in the direction of the well.

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku were sitting in front of Kaede's hut, relaxing, before they left to go check the barriers around the village. They were quietly talking to each other wondering when Kagome will be returning. It has been seven days since she left and they have not seen Lord Sesshoumaru during this time, they were wondering where he was hiding. They have gone out to look for him but he was nowhere to be found.

Since Kagome has been gone Miroku took it upon himself to go around the village and fortify the barriers. With his and Kaede's barriers their village should be well protected. There has been no trouble since Kagome has been gone. They have not seen Inuyasha during this time either and they were happy about it.

Sango and Miroku knew that Inuyasha challenged Kagome before she left to go home. They heard the battle but by the time they got to the well everyone was gone. They saw Kagome's barrier around the well to protect it and they know why she did it.

Every day since Kagome has been gone they will go by the well to make sure everything was all right. Her barrier was holding strong and no one has been near the well since she left.

This night was no different as Miroku, Sango, and Shippou, made their way around the village to make sure everything was peaceful. The sutras were holding strong and there was no sign of danger anywhere. They were making their way into the forest heading towards the well.

The village barriers did not extend this far into the forest. Miroku was thinking about extending the barrier to encompass the well. He has an uneasy feeling that Inuyasha was going to make his move soon and they must make every possible effort to protect the well.

The small little group stops in the middle of the forest, they were all sensing something that was not right.

Shippou's little nose was moving rapidly from side to side while he was sniffing the air. He turns towards his friends and says, "Miroku, Sango, Inuyasha is by the well and so is Kikyou."

Sango's temper explodes, she was not about to let Inuyasha get her sister, "Come on Miroku we have to get to the well and see what they are up to. We can't let them destroy the well or else Kagome will not be able to come back." They make their way quickly to the well and then they slow their pace when they were getting closer. When they arrive, they observe what Inuyasha was doing.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has finally removed the arrow out of Kikyou's shoulder. It took everything he had to pull it out. But it was not without its consequences, his hands were severely burned by Kagome's holy powers. It has been six days since he pulled the arrow out and still his hands have not healed. He could not hold his sword, but that did not stop their plans for the wench.

Kikyou has finally recovered all her strength once that damn arrow was removed from her shoulder. She almost lost all her souls before Inuyasha could pull it out. _'That bitch will pay for hurting me and I will make sure that she never returns to this era. She is going to be surprised when I call her piece of the jewel back to me. I have enough strength for that now. But before I do that I have to make sure that I seal the well so that she doesn't come back.'_

They were standing in front of the well when Kikyou pulls her arrow. She starts her spell and then lets her arrow fly. Her arrow could not get past the barrier that Kagome left behind, but it did put a sealing barrier around hers. This will prevent the well from working so she will be trapped on the other side where she belongs.

She was about to cast her spell to retrieve the jewel when Sango and Miroku came into the clearing.

Sango could not sit by and watch any longer. She decides to make her way towards Inuyasha. She was wishing that Kirara was not with Kaede on the other side of the village, helping her with the villagers. They need her here to help them protect Shippou.

Sango shook her head to clear her thoughts. Kaede needed her friend so it was an honor to help the elderly miko. Sango quickens her pace while Miroku and Shippou quickly follow her. They all stop once they get to the clearing while they all look at their former friend.

Inuyasha notices when his ex-friends came into the clearing. He turns and smirks at them, "So, you got tired of waiting for that weak bitch to come back and you want to join up with me again."

Sango sniffs at what she hears, "Like hell we will join you and that corpse. We came here to make sure that you do nothing to interfere with Kagome coming back here. We need her to defeat Naraku and we are not going to let you harm her."

Inuyasha growls, he was clearly irritated, "We don't need her weak ass to defeat Naraku. We have Kikyou and she is powerful enough to take him down."

Miroku looks at his friend with a raise eyebrow, "Inuyasha I have no idea where you are getting your information from but the last time we had an encounter with Naraku, you couldn't defeat him on your own. As a matter of fact, it took all of us, including Kagome, to make sure that you stayed alive. What makes you think that Kikyou will have the power to defeat him? She hasn't done it in the past and she is not as powerful as Kagome."

Inuyasha was losing his temper with his former friends, to think that they thought the wench was more powerful than his beloved, "Are you calling Kikyou weak?"

Shippou had enough of the hanyou calling his mother weak, "Kagome is not weak! She is more powerful than that clay doll. You don't know how powerful my mama is, wait until she comes back, she will teach you all a lesson."

Inuyasha had enough and attacks Shippou. He was tired of the kits mouth, then he went after him with his claws drawn. Miroku and Sango notice when Inuyasha was going to attack. Sango sent her Hiraikotsu flying towards Inuyasha while, Miroku sent one of his ofuda towards Kikyou as he tries to stop what she is trying to do.

Inuyasha was hard pressed to dodge Sango's weapon when he was hit with fox fire. The kit was getting to be more powerful when he sent an attack of his own towards Shippou.

Shippou sees Inuyasha's attack coming in fast and tries to leap out of the way. He manages to avoid almost all the hanyou's attack when one hit him. Shippou fell to the ground as he cried, "MAMA!"

That yell left everyone stunned as it was a heartfelt call to his mother. Sango and Miroku ran over to Shippou as they get him out of harm's way. Miroku covers Sango's retreat with the kit while he keeps Inuyasha and Kikyou busy with his ofuda.

The battle was getting fierce while Miroku faces off with Inuyasha and Sango handles Kikyou. They were not going to let them get near the well and battle hard. Sango keeps on hearing Shippou yelling for Kagome and her heart goes out to him. She can't take care of his wounds until they get rid of Inuyasha and Kikyou.

Both sides were going in for another attack when they felt a tremendous force approaching them from behind. They all stop in their tracks, then turn to see who was coming.

Kagome was racing through the forest to get to her son. She could hear him calling for her while her powers increase.

Sesshoumaru was there next to her when he feels her powers growing. She was showing more power than he ever thought she had as they finally make it to where the well is located.

Kagome came to an abrupt halt and looks around the area. When she finds Shippou she quickly goes over to him. He was hurt, she picks him up in her arms and cradles his body against her. Her powers flare and she heals all his wounds.

Shippou was still crying when he felt that his pain was going away. He then notices that he was being held and open his eyes. He saw his mother as tears well up, "Mama, Inuyasha tried to destroy the well. He didn't want you to come back."

Kagome soothes the kit in her arms, slowly humming a melody that put the kit to sleep, "Sleep now Shippou, I will take care of Inuyasha."

Shippou agrees while he closes his eyes and falls asleep in his mother's arms.

Kagome was angry that Inuyasha hurt her pup. She put Shippou back down on the ground and then turns heated eyes towards the hanyou. She starts making her way over to her friends, she didn't even acknowledge them, and walks right pass them and came to stand in front of the hanyou.

Sango and Miroku notice the look in Kagome's eyes. She was pissed and quickly move out of the way. They finally take a close look at her and they were surprise to see that she is a spirit. They have no idea what is going on but they observe what is going to happen.

Inuyasha thought that he was seeing a ghost and takes a step back from the specter. "What do you want here? You have no right to interfere with this battle."

Kagome walks past her friends and confronts Inuyasha. "I'm here because you hurt my son you bastard! How many times do I have to tell you that you are never to touch Shippou? Do you think that pitiful barrier that Kikyou put around the well will stop me from coming to him when you hurt him, I think not."

Both Kikyou and Inuyasha were taken by surprise that they were talking to Kagome, then Kikyou steps forward, "How is it that you are here when I put a barrier around the well that seals it?"

Kagome turns heated eyes toward Kikyou, "Ah, I see the corpse is still around. Tell me Inuyasha how are your hands?" She turns her heated gaze from the corpse and looks at Inuyasha, "Not able to hold your sword I see." Kagome deliberately did not answer Kikyou's question. She did not deserve an answer on how she was here.

Inuyasha growls his frustrations, "What! Did you think that I was that weak that I wouldn't be able to pull that weak arrow from my mate's shoulder?"

Kagome narrows her eyes at the hanyou, "I was hoping that you would be too weak to remove it until it was too late. You see Inuyasha the spell on that arrow was weakening. I made it that way. But before you pulled it out I made sure that I purified your hands for doing so. The next time I will make my spell stronger to make sure that you can't pull it out before it's done."

Inuyasha was pissed, _'That bitch did that intentionally. She wanted to make sure I burned my hands removing that stupid arrow.'_ He reaches for his sword and then howls in pain. The holy burns on his hand is not healed yet and every time he touches his sword it sent a jolt of electricity through his body. He turns towards Kagome and said, "You bitch! I will make you pay for this!"

Inuyasha leaps and goes after Kagome, but to his surprise there was a golden whip that came his way, he is hit in the chest and is sent flying backwards.

Inuyasha skids across the ground and then comes to a stop. He groans, rolling over on his side, he gets up on hands and knees. He looks at Kagome only to find his brother standing there in front of him in his normal form. "So, I see you're here again you bastard. What? Aren't you tired of hanging around a worthless ningen with nothing to offer her pack?"

Sesshoumaru was sitting on the miko's shoulder observing his brother. He was not happy with the whelp since finding out that he was the cause of the trouble the miko was having with her family. When his idiot brother attacks, Sesshoumaru leaps from Kagome's shoulder and goes after his brother. His whip came out and it connects with the hanyou's chest.

Kagome observes what Sesshoumaru was doing, she gets an idea and channels some of her powers into the stone to make him appear normal. He will be able to use her powers to attack Inuyasha and he will be in more pain because of the holy powers. The piece of her soul that is holding the spell is a conductor for her powers. She was glad to see that her idea works while she looks on.

Sesshoumaru sends Inuyasha flying backwards when he lands on the ground. Then to his surprise Sesshoumaru notices that he was back in his normal form. He stands in front of the miko to protect her, "Half breed, do not insult this Sesshoumaru. It is you who is worthless not this female. I can't understand why you never knew that she is this powerful, although with your mentality there is no surprise. I stand by her and will protect her, you will not touch her, now leave."

Inuyasha finally stands when he hears his brother's words. There was no way that he was going to leave that bitch here by herself. He was determined to get Kikyou's soul back and attacks again.

Sesshoumaru sees him coming when his whip comes out to attack again. He saw a blur to his right and sees the little miko attacking the dead bitch that was aiming an arrow at his person.

Kagome stands there when she sees Sesshoumaru move to attack his brother. The illusion was holding very well and she did not have to use any more of her powers when Sesshoumaru attacks again. She looks to her right and notices that Kikyou was about to attack Sesshoumaru. She pulls her sword out of its sheath and goes after the dead bitch.

Kikyou aims her arrow at the Youkai Lord and lets it fly. To her surprise the arrow was intercepted by her reincarnation, and she screams in anger. She pulls another arrow and aims it at the bitch, releasing it, hoping to kill her reincarnation. Kikyou watches with bated breath to see if she can get her this time.

Kagome saw the arrow coming her way, she moves and cuts the arrow in half. She leaps and swings her sword across her body, sending an attack towards Kikyou. She was about to cut her in half when something red came in and grabs the corpse. Kagome reacts quickly to what is happening, she was not about to give the hanyou time to regroup and come up with another plan of attack. She turns and swings her sword across her body, sending another attack towards Inuyasha and Kikyou.

Inuyasha was hard pressed to avoid the attacks coming his way. He saw his mate in trouble and moves with speed to get her out of harm's way. He stops when another attack was sent his way and leaps one more time. If he stays here he will not be able to protect his mate if Sesshoumaru and Kagome continue to attack him. He decides that they should leave for now and go after the jewel shards. If they collect what is left, then they can come back and take the ones that belong to Kagome.

He grabs Kikyou and leaps into the trees, leaving the area. He will be back, this is not the end of the battle, it only put off what will happen in the end.

Kagome watches as Inuyasha flees the area. She was happy that he was gone and then turns her attention towards her friends. She walks over to them, asking, "Are you both all right?"

Sango was happy to see her sister and when she hears her question she said, "Yes, we are both fine. Is Shippou going to be all right?"

Kagome's eyes soften just a bit, "Yes, I have healed his wounds and he is resting. Now I must see if I can take down the barrier that Kikyou has set up. It's preventing me from coming back and I can't have that."

The group turns as they walk to the well. Sesshoumaru was keeping an eye on his miko because she was looking fatigued. They need to return to their bodies and soon. He was feeling weak as well and he cannot understand how the miko was doing this.

They finally make it to the well and Kagome steps forward. She looks at the barrier that Kikyou set up and she did not like what she was seeing. It was going to be difficult to bring it down and she was hoping that she has enough energy to do it.

Sesshoumaru notices the look on the miko's face, it was the look of concern, he leans down and asks, "Miko is anything wrong?"

Kagome hears his words and whispers back, "This is a powerful spell and I don't know if I will be able to bring it down and then return us back."

Sesshoumaru hears the miko's words, she has a valid concern, this spell was powerful and when she starts to bring it down it will take a great deal of power to do it. He thought about what she was saying and then came up with an idea, "I will assist you in bringing this barrier down. That way when it comes down we will head back. I too am feeling the effects and we need to return once we are done."

Kagome agrees and moves forward with Sesshoumaru. She puts her hand out and touches the barrier. Sesshoumaru places his hand on top of hers and concentrates on his youki. They both glow with power and send their combined energies over the barrier that Kikyou created. It took a tremendous amount of energy for them to finally bring it down.

Kagome was feeling weak when she brings the barrier down, then her legs give out. She starts to fall when Sesshoumaru grabs the miko before she hits the ground. He picks her up in his arms, then turns his attention towards her friends, "We are returning to the miko's home. Now that the barrier is down we should be able to return with no problem."

Miroku hears the Youkai Lord's words and informs him of his plan, "I will make sure that the village barrier extends to this part of the forest. That way the well will be protected until your return. Do you know how much longer it will take before you come back?"

"This Sesshoumaru does not know how much longer we will be in the miko's era, but it should not be too much longer. I believe I will let her rest for the next couple of days and then we shall return, once she has regained her strength." Sesshoumaru turns and starts to make his way back to the sacred tree. He notices that he was being followed but he didn't care. He needs to get back with his miko.

Sango quickly ran over to Shippou and picks him up. She cradles him in her arms and makes her way over to Miroku. They decide to follow Sesshoumaru to make sure that they stay safe. They did not want to take the chance of Inuyasha coming back and attacking Sesshoumaru and Kagome when they were both so weak.

They didn't know what kind of spell this was but it was powerful. Miroku could tell that it was taking a tremendous amount of energy to keep them here. When they look ahead they notice that the area near the sacred tree was glowing in a bright light. They have no idea what was going on but they were about to find out.

When they get to the sacred tree both Sango and Miroku were amazed to see that the tree was glowing with power. They saw when Sesshoumaru stops in front of the tree, then he continues walking and disappears. A couple of minutes later the tree returns to normal.

Sango turns to Miroku and asks, "Miroku do you know how this was done? I mean we have never seen the tree act this way before."

Miroku stands there and thinks about Sango's question. He has no idea how this could happen but he was willing to bet that it was Kagome and her powers. She was growing stronger with each passing day. "I have no idea Sango, but if I have to guess I would say that it was Kagome who did this. She is a very powerful miko and I wouldn't be surprised if she somehow created a portal between her era and this one. What she said surprised me, she said that she heard Shippou calling for her. If that is true, then there is nothing to stop her from coming back here to take care of Shippou."

Sango must agree with Miroku. She knows that Kagome loves Shippou like a son. She will do anything to protect him, it was a mother's instinct to protect their young and she pities the male who would hurt him.

Sango smiles, she turns her attention to Miroku and states, "Well at least we know where Lord Sesshoumaru has been for the last seven days. But I wonder how he made it through the well to go with Kagome?"

Miroku was thinking hard on that question as well, "I have no idea Sango but I'm willing to bet that Kagome found a way to let him pass through the well. She knew that if she left him behind he will be in danger. Inuyasha will come back to kill his brother. This way Kagome is assured that he remains safe."

Sango agrees with Miroku's assessment as they both turn and go back to the village. They will make sure to extent the barrier from the village to the well and wait for Kagome to come back. They hope that it will not take too much longer. They both missed their friend and Shippou especially misses Kagome.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru walks out of the sacred tree and makes his way over to the little miko's body. He was feeling a pull to rejoin his body but he was not going to go back until the little miko was back in her body first. He looks down and gently says, "Kagome, wake up you need to get back into your body."

When Sesshoumaru didn't get a response from the little miko, he brings her closer to his chest and embraces her. This is all he ever wanted, to just hold her in his arms. This felt so right to him and the feelings that he is having are stronger than before. He feels a strong pull for him to return to his body, he brings his mouth to her ear and says, "Kagome, my mate, please wake up for me."

He pulls away from her when he feels her move. He looks intently at her when he sees her opening her eyes.

Kagome was very tired, she hears someone calling to her and when they said mate she could not help but respond to the one calling out to her. When she opens her eyes, she notices that Sesshoumaru was holding her. She immediately looks around and notices that they are back in her era, "Did we bring down that barrier?"

Sesshoumaru's hand brushes her cheek and responds, "Yes, we got rid of it before we had to leave. Your pack will extend the barrier from the village to the well to make sure that it stays protected. The half breed was gone from the area before we left so it should be safe until we return."

Kagome was happy with that, she turns tired eyes towards Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru we must return to our bodies, I can't keep this up for too much longer."

Sesshoumaru agrees and walks over to the miko's body, "Miko you must go you are growing weak and must return."

"You must return first then I will be able to return. Please put me down and return to your body Sesshoumaru." She looks at Sesshoumaru with pleading eyes.

Sesshoumaru did not like to leave first but he did as she asks. He put her down but before he lets go of her he holds her in his arms and kisses the top of her head. He releases her, then he disappears and goes back to his body.

Kagome was surprised by the hug and kiss that Sesshoumaru gave her. She felt her heart soar to new heights when she sees him disappear. Once he was back in his body she returns to hers. The moment that their souls were back inside their bodies, Kagome releases her hold on the tree. She falls on her butt and was breathing hard with all the energy that she used.

Kagome feels something on her neck, she reaches up and grabs what is there. She notices that it is Sesshoumaru in her hand and he is not moving. She panics because she thinks that he did not make it back to his body before she did.

Kagome brings her hand up and starts to stroke his cheek, "Sesshoumaru are you… all right?" She continues to look at him and when he didn't move tears start coming down her cheeks. She brings Sesshoumaru closer to her chest and starts to rock him back and forth. "Please Sesshoumaru wake up for me, please wake up."

Sesshoumaru feels something wet hitting him on his cheek. He opens his eyes and notices that he was being held tightly against the miko's chest. He was tired but he could tell that the miko was upset at seeing him so still. He moves his head just slightly and nuzzles the miko in her chest. He could hear her heart beat faster when he did that, he growls low and steady when he feels her calm down. He takes a deep breath, inhaling her scent, it soothes his tired body.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru moves against her chest. Her heart leaps with joy knowing that she did not kill him when she pulled his soul out of his body. She didn't mean to do that to him, when her body started to glow he grabbed her and her spell just did its job. It took his soul as well and he went with her.

"Sesshoumaru, I'm happy that I didn't hurt you, please forgive me." Kagome then moves him away from her chest and looks down. She could tell that he was tired. She couldn't help how she feels about him, she will give anything to make sure that he was protected always. Her eyes soften just a bit, blue orbs turning a deeper blue than was the norm showing her caring heart, then she whispers gently to him, "Sleep, I will take care of you."

She touches his cheek with her finger, gently caressing his crest and his head, she hears the low growl that came from him. It calms her down, the growls indicating that he was fine but just needs time to recover from his ordeal. Knowing that he was all right, she gets up from the ground and slowly walks back into the house.

Kagome was slowly making her way upstairs. Her body aches from the overuse of her powers, that she forces herself to use the wall for support. She finally makes it to her bedroom, enters, and closes the door behind her, while she leans her body against the door. She was getting weaker by the minute, she needs to get to her bed as soon as possible before she passes out on the floor.

Kagome finds what little strength she has left and walks over to her bed, she lays down and keeps Sesshoumaru with her. Soon she falls asleep with Sesshoumaru on her chest. There was no way she was putting him down, knowing that he was this way because of her. She will protect him through the night as they both sleep peacefully.

-oOo-

The next morning Sesshoumaru wakes up and slowly opens his eyes. He notices right away that he was laying on something very soft and he was moving up and down. To his surprise, he was laying on the miko's chest and slowly gets up. He did not want to wake the miko just yet. He wants to make sure that she gets her rest. He could tell that she was still very tired and sleep was a good thing right now.

He gets off her chest and takes deep breathes. He was still very tired but he needs to get something to eat. He hears a noise downstairs and sniffs the air, he could tell that the miko's mother was up and about. He forms his cloud under his feet and floats down to the kitchen.

Sesshoumaru sees Kagome's mother in the kitchen, just when she was finishing the morning meal. She turns towards him and has a big smile on her face, "Good morning Lord Sesshoumaru, where is Kagome?"

Sesshoumaru lands on the table and states, "The little miko is still sleeping."

Asumi smiles at the little Youkai that was standing on the table, "I noticed what was going on last night. Why was Kagome glowing so brightly? Was there something wrong?"

Sesshoumaru sighs, he was still tired and explains what was going on last night. When he was done, he said, "She is still tired and I don't want to wake her. She needs her rest to regain her energy. If you could bring her something to eat I would be grateful."

Asumi understands and gets a tray ready for Kagome, but before she prepares the tray she gives Sesshoumaru something to eat, "I did notice what you did last night. Thank you for taking care of her."

Sesshoumaru bows his head in thanks and eats his food. Once he was done he felt better, he decides to go upstairs to be with the little miko. He observes the miko's mother walking out of the room with a tray in her hands. She was going upstairs to her daughter's room, while he follows closely behind her.

Sesshoumaru floats right past her when she opens the door. When she leaves, he did not go to the window to wait for the miko to wake up. He goes and sits down by her side. As time passes he was getting tired, the miko's scent always relaxes him, he moves and lays down on the pillow, falling asleep.

Kagome wakes up later that morning. She moves her hand to her chest, to see if Sesshoumaru was still there. When she didn't feel his body, her eyes snap open. She turns her head to the side and notices that he was sleeping right next to her.

Kagome then looks around the room, that's when she notices that there is food sitting on the table for her. Right away Kagome takes note that there is no food for Sesshoumaru and she is wondering why her mother didn't bring any for him. It was very much out of character for her mother to forget about her guest. _'Maybe Sesshoumaru has eaten already. It is late in the morning and knowing him he would have been up hours ago.'_

Kagome slowly gets up from her bed while she tries not to wake the Youkai Lord. She goes over to her table and sits down to eat. She was hungry this morning and within minutes she devours all the food. She sits back in her chair and thinks about what happen last night. Her spell worked on the stone and everyone thinks that Sesshoumaru has returned to normal.

Then she turns her attention to the other things that she needs to do. She has a lot of work still to do but she wants some time to go off and think, she gets an idea on what she wants to do and then goes to get cleaned up.

Sesshoumaru wakes up when he notices that the little miko is no longer next to him. He misses her scent and sniffs the air. He hears the water going down the hall and figures that she went to bathe. He did notice that she has eaten and he was happy with that.

He gets up, surveying the area, he decides to go towards the pillow on the table. He turns on the television and starts to watch the news. He likes this picture box that the little miko calls a television. It has a lot of information in it, while he was changing the channels something catches his attention. He sees these females standing in front of all these ningens wearing barely anything. There is a small cloth that is covering their most private parts and very little was covering their breast.

He wonders why these females expose themselves like this. "Don't these females have any dignity? Are all the females from this era, whores?" Sesshoumaru did not like that idea since his female comes from this era. She is nothing like these females on the television. Yes, her kimono was indecent but she was not that exposed to other males. He continues to watch when he senses that Kagome was coming back into the room. Her head was down and she did not look his way. He knew that something was not right.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Kikyou thought that she could just call Kagome's part of the jewel to her but she was sadly mistaken. Kagome found a way back to the past and showed Inuyasha and Kikyou a thing or two.

In the next chapter jealousy bears its ugly head when an outing turns bad and Kagome has her hands full with Sesshoumaru and his beast. Have you guess what Sesshoumaru is watching on TV yet?

Until the next time 

Ja ni!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

Kagome finishes taking her bath, then dresses in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. The t-shirt ends just above her belly button, her jeans were low rise on her hips. You can see her belly clearly with the clothes she is wearing. then she brushes out her hair and looks at herself. Thinking that she looks presentable, she heads back to her room.

She is about to walk into her room when she hears Sesshoumaru's comment. She looks down at her clothes and wonders if she looks like a whore. She pulls on her t-shirt to try and make it go down but it is no use. The t-shirt is just too short. She needs something else to wear, she walks into her room and heads straight for her closet. She finds something else that will cover her up some more, then she walks out of her room and goes into the bathroom to change.

Sesshoumaru finds that the miko is acting strangely, she was dressed beautifully and he could see the skin of her stomach. The curves of her hips were calling to him when he wonders if she is as soft as she looks. She grabs something from the clothes box and walks back out again.

Sesshoumaru sits there thinking, he shrugging his shoulders, not understanding the female gender at all, then turns his attention back to the television. He is still not happy with what he is seeing and growls. Then he hears his little miko ask, "Lord Sesshoumaru is something wrong?"

Sesshoumaru turns his attention to his little miko and notices right away that the shirt she is wearing was longer and covers her skin more. He shook his head, stating, "Are all the females in your era whores miko?"

Kagome is hurt by his words but then she notices that he is looking at something on the television. She couldn't see what it is so she walks over to where he is sitting. To her surprise he is watching the Miss Universe contest, they are trying to pick Miss Japan and all the girls are wearing a swimsuit.

Kagome turns her attention back to Sesshoumaru saying, "Lord Sesshoumaru, these young ladies, are the best that this land has to offer. They are in a competition to win the title of Miss Japan. The female that wins this contest will then represent Japan in the Miss Universe contest."

Sesshoumaru hears the little miko words, huffing he states, "Then they are wrong, none of these females are beautiful. They are all worthless as far as I'm concerned."

Kagome is surprised about his words, "But Lord Sesshoumaru, these are supposed to be the most beautiful, well mannered, intelligent, and cultured females for Japan. Why would you consider them worthless?"

Sesshoumaru answers her question without really thinking about it, "Because the most beautiful female I have ever seen is not competing, she is the most well-mannered, intelligent, and cultured female I have ever meet. That female is you miko."

Sesshoumaru was shocked out of his mind, _'Where in the hell did that come from? I was not supposed to say that out loud for her to hear.'_ He watches to see what the little miko was going to do.

Kagome breath hitches when she hears his comment. _'He… He… He thinks that I could be Miss Universe? He called me beautiful?'_ Kagome turns her eyes back to Sesshoumaru, her face flushes red, and says in a low voice, "I thank you Lord Sesshoumaru. I never thought that you would consider me beautiful." She quickly thought of something else so she could get rid of her blush.

She turns to get her purse, she needs to get out of the house so she can relax and think, "I'm going out for a little while. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

She turns to leave her room but before she even takes a step she hears, "Miko this Sesshoumaru will come with you." She looks over her shoulder to argue when she saw him changing. He was determined to go with her while he transforms into his true form.

Kagome sees Maru standing there on the table, looking as cute as possible, wagging his tail at her. She could not resist the cute little face he was making, so she walks over to him and picks him up in her arms.

She gently scratches his ears, giving him a kiss on top of his head, she cuddles him closer to her chest, there was no way that she will be able to leave him now with the face that he was giving her. She was a weakling for puppy dog eyes, so she turns and leaves her room with Maru securely in her arms. On her way out of the house she tells her mother that she was going to the mall and leaves.

Sesshoumaru notices that the red metal tag that he wore before reappears around his neck. But the strange thing for him is that he did not feel any magic coming from the miko this time. He is wondering how she is projecting this illusion, when he feels that the jewel that she gave him, has slightly increased in power. _'I wonder if this jewel is holding this illusion.'_ He will have to ask her once they return to the shrine.

Kagome finally makes it to the mall, she is slowly walking around the area letting her mind wonder on the things that has happen in the past week. She didn't have a destination in mind, all she wants is to get her mind off things and relax. This was just one of the things she likes to do. She looks down in her arms and Maru is just sitting there looking around. He is behaving and she hopes that it will continue.

Kagome is relaxing a bit; she is at peace with herself while her hand just scratches Sesshoumaru's ear absentmindedly. She was enjoying his fur on her fingers while she continues to scratch and massage his head.

Maru is just enjoying the miko's touch, he has no idea why she is doing this but it was relaxing to him. His head is resting on her chest while her fingers continue to go through his fur. Every now and then he will give a gentle growl, letting her know that he likes what she is doing. Even his other half was being quiet while he enjoys her touch.

But then her scratching stops when he hears someone calling for their little miko. Their time together is going to be interrupted when he feels the miko stop and look around the area.

Kagome was enjoying herself just walking around the mall when she hears someone calling her name. She stops and looks for the ones that are trying to get her attention.

Kagome stands there for a few minutes, trying to figure out who is calling out to her. She is hearing familiar voices, when she turns and observes her friends running towards her. "Oh no, why aren't they in school today?"

Sesshoumaru hears the little miko's words, when he sees a pack of females along with a lone male coming towards them. He did not like it because his little miko is getting upset at seeing these females. He immediately became alert and starts to growl, then that hand returns to his ear as it soothes him. He got her message and calms down to see what these females want along with this male.

Maru did not like what he is seeing. A lone male with a pack of females is coming towards what is his. If this male thinks to add his little miko to his pack, then he must teach him to leave what is his alone.

Kagome sees her friends stop right in front of her. They are all out of breath when she hears Yumi say, "Kagome! It's been a while since we have seen you and what do you have in your arms?"

Kagome blushes at being caught walking around the mall, "Err…Hi guys well this is Maru, he is a therapy dog that the doctors gave me to help me with my illness. The doctors said that sometimes an animal will help their patients so they want me to try one. But what are you doing here? Why aren't you in school?"

Eri looks at Kagome, "Well we got off early today, parent teachers conference." Kagome understands then she feels Maru's chest start to vibrate. She looks up in time to see that Yumi was reaching for Maru to pet him. She pulls away and says, "No, don't touch him. He doesn't know you and he will bite."

Yumi pulls her hand away from the dog, she looks at her friend with concern about her having a dog that will bite people, "Why would they give you a dog that bites? Aren't service dogs supposed to be gentle and not bite anyone?"

Kagome has to think of something very quickly to satisfy her friends curiosity, "Well… Yes, they are not supposed to bite but Maru is different. He is also a guard dog to make sure I stay safe. He doesn't know you and he will bite if you reach for him. I would rather not have that happen and anyway it's rude to pet someone animal unless you ask permission."

Hojo is with the girls while they are buying things for the prom. They were going to get something to eat when the girls spotted Kagome. His heart leaps with joy when he sees her. It has been too long since he has seen her, he is wondering if she has a date to the prom.

Hojo steps forward and asks, "Kagome may I speak to you for a minute… in private?"

Kagome sees when Hojo comes closer to her and hears his words, "Sure why not."

They step away from the giggling girls and walk a short distance away. They stop when Kagome hears Hojo say, "Kagome, you know that the prom is coming up in two weeks' time. I was wondering if you want to go with me?"

Kagome is shocked to hear this. She has forgotten about the prom and now Hojo was asking her to go. But she knows that she will not be graduating this year. Her mother has taken her out of school and no one knows about any of this. She turns her attention back to Hojo, saying, "I'm sorry but I won't be going to the prom Hojo. Thank you for the offer, I do appreciate it."

Hojo was disappointed by her answer, "Why aren't you going Kagome? I thought that you were home now and you don't have to be in the hospital."

Kagome has one of her hands under Sesshoumaru chest so she could feel when he starts to growl. He did not like Hojo and he is making it known. She hears Hojo's question and responds, "I don't think that I'm going to be here. I'm only home for a short time before I leave again to continue with my treatment. The doctors are not done yet and this next round is going to be the hardest one of all."

Hojo is not giving up, he has been interested in her for years now and every time they would go out on a date she will leave before it even starts. He wants some time alone with her when an idea came to mind, "Ok then, how about I come by tonight and we go out to dinner and then a movie. I want to take you out. I have been interested in you for years now and every time we try and go on a date, you always have to leave."

Now Kagome is nervous, Hojo wants to go out on a date and she knows that Sesshoumaru is having issues with him. She starts to hear Maru's growls and the level of his growls is going up. She closes her eyes, trying to figure out what to do.

That was the wrong thing to do on Kagome's part because Hojo took the opportunity to move closer to her and was about to put his arm around her shoulders when Maru lost it and attacks. Maru bit Hojo's hand and Kagome reacts immediately to the threat.

Kagome grabs Maru and calms him down. She then looks at Hojo and asks, "Did he bite you Hojo?"

Hojo is too scared to answer while Kagome took his hand. She put her hand over the bite marks and quickly heals the area as well as cure him of the poison that Maru let go in the wound. "You're lucky Hojo, Maru didn't break your skin. There is no damage done to your hand."

Hojo could not believe that the dog bit his hand and he didn't break the skin. It hurt like crazy but when he looks at his hand there is no damage to it. It didn't hurt as much now and he has no marks on his hand.

He looks up at Kagome when he hears her say, "I'm sorry Hojo but I can't accept your offer. I am with someone else and it will not be right to go out with you. I'm flattered that you are interested in me but, unfortunately, I'm not. I'm in love with someone else and he is my match in every way."

Hojo is disappointed that Kagome has a boyfriend. Maru on the other hand is not happy that his female has someone else that she is in love with. He wants her for his mate and he is letting his logical side know his feelings. _**"Who is this male that our female has an interest in? I won't let her love anyone by me. She is mine and I want her as my mate. I will find this male and kill him!"**_

Sesshoumaru is having a hard time trying to calm his beast. _"Be still, we have not seen the little miko with any other male. So, it must be a lie to have the boy leave her alone."_

But Maru is not buying it, _**"I detect no lies from her. What she told him is the true, she is in love with someone and we must find out who this someone is. I will not let another male claim what is mine."**_

Sesshoumaru also notices that the little miko did not lie to this male. She is in love with someone and they must find out who it is. He will not give her up that easily, she belongs to him and he will have her as his mate. Now that he has made up his mind on what he wants to do he is not going to let her leave his side.

Maru notices when the little miko brings him closer to her neck. She is humming very softly as it calms him down. Maru is still upset that his female is interested in another male and he will not give up on her.

Kagome is humming to Maru, it seems to work to calm him down, she then turns to her friends and says, "It was great seeing all of you but I have to go."

Eri is disappointed that Kagome is leaving, "Kagome, do you really have to leave so soon? I want to find out more about this guy that you are interested in. Maybe we can come to your home and meet him." The other girls agree with Eri, they want to meet this male that Kagome was interest in.

Kagome shook her head in the negative, "No, you can't meet him yet. Maybe one day I will introduce you to him, but not now."

Ayume is not going to give up when she whines, "Well can you at least tell us his name? That way we know who he is."

Kagome gets irritated and states in a stern voice, "No, because I know what you will do with the information and I don't want you three to bother him. Now, I'm leaving, I will see you guys again, some day."

Kagome turns and walks away with Maru. She hears her friends calling out to her but she is not going to give in to their demands. How could she tell them that the little Inu she holds in her arms is the male that she is in love with. She knows that he will never love her in return but it makes her happy to know that she can just enjoy this time with him.

Kagome knows that once the jewel is complete, they will part ways but for now she is happy, she cuddles Maru and continues to hum to him to keep him calm. They continue on their way through the mall when Kagome spots an animal store. She decides to go in while she looks around the store at all the toys they have for dogs.

Maru was looking around the place that the little miko enters. It is a very unusual place as some of the things inside this place caught his interest.

Kagome is watching Maru to see if he is interested in anything. She sees him looking at the balls, she notices when his ears stand straight up and she knew that he wants one, so she walks over to where the balls were located. She bends down, grabbing up a red ball from the box in front of her and asks, "Do you like this Maru?"

Maru looks at the round ball that the miko has in her hand. He sniffs and it smells funny. He has never smelled anything like this before, opening his mouth he tries to bite it. To his surprise the ball is hard but soft at the same time. It is a firm ball but when he bites into the ball, it will give just a little, but it did not let his fangs go through the material. He has no idea what it is made of but it did catch his interest.

Kagome watches as Maru was trying to play with the ball. She thought that it will be something that he would like, then she goes and pays for it. Once she has the ball she heads home. She has other things that she wants to do and her time here is growing short.

When Kagome arrives at the shrine she puts Maru down, once he is set free he goes to relieve himself. Kagome is already by the sacred tree when he gets done, then he runs back to her.

Kagome has the red ball in her hand when she moves down to Maru's level and shows him the ball. Immediately Maru was very interested in the red ball, then she throws it and Maru runs after it. It was fun to see him play with a ball but she thought that he was trying to figure out what it was made from.

She tries to get him to bring her the ball but that was not working. So, she gets up and takes it away from him. That gets his attention when he goes after her to get the ball back. Kagome was running around the shrine with a small Maru chasing after her.

Kagome is laughing so hard that she trips and falls, when Maru finally catches up with the little female. He goes straight for the ball, takes it out of her hands and moves away from her. Maru turns his head and looks at his little female. She has fire in her eyes when she gets up and chases him.

They play like that for a few hours. Sesshoumaru could not stop his beast from acting childish so he finally gives up and lets him have his way. When the little miko is tired he finally has his chance and takes control back from his beast.

Sesshoumaru is not happy, he is going to try and find out who this male is that the miko is interested in. "Miko we must speak."

Kagome groans she wanted to play with Maru some more when she sits up and looks at Sesshoumaru. She waits to see what he wants to talk about when she hears him say, "Miko who is this male that you are in love with?"

That question shocked the living daylights out of Kagome. She turns her head away from him, stating in a forceful voice, "That is none of your business."

Sesshoumaru is not going to take that answer, he growls, "Miko I will not ask again, now answer my question."

Kagome turns heated eyes toward Sesshoumaru and states, "I do not have to answer that question. You are not my alpha! I don't know why you want to know who he is because you have no interest in me. Your acting like a jealous lover who just found out that his mate is with someone else.

"Plus… who he is, is not going to interfere with me finding the last jewel shards. I will complete the jewel and once it's complete I will wish you back to your normal form. I will keep my promise to you so you don't have to worry about that." Kagome gets up from the ground and goes inside her house. She told her mother that she was going to be in her sewing room and then places a barrier on the outside of the door to make sure no one disturbs her.

Sesshoumaru growls his frustration, his mate will not tell him who this male is and he is not going to give up in finding him. He follows the little miko's scent back inside the house to a different room and to his surprise he cannot enter. There is a barrier on the door that he cannot break, he growls his frustration and leaves. He goes upstairs to Kagome's room and sits by the window, he pouts like a spoiled child who is not given his favorite toy.

Kagome sighs, her barrier prevents Sesshoumaru from entering the room, she then pulls out the scroll that she has been studying from. This scroll taught her about Youkai nature. She found it a while back and is studying the scroll so she can learn and not get frustrated by not understanding. She knew that Inuyasha will never tell her anything so she needs to find the answers to her questions herself.

She sits down at her desk and starts to read her scroll. She is finding out a lot of things about Youkai until she gets to this one place that make the pieces of a puzzle fall into place.

"Male Youkai, especially male Inu Youkai, will never call their chosen female by their name. It is a sign of disrespect towards their female so they will address her by her title. This will show the female that the male respects her as his match, and it's a sign to another Youkai that he is interested in this female.

"The male Inu is the most aggressive male Youkai there is. They are very loyal and when they give their loyalty it is never taken back. Once a male decides on the female that they want to be with they will start the courting process.

"The male Inu will start taking care of their chosen female. They will protect her, bring food to her, provide her with clothes, and give her the finest things he can, so he can win her favor."

Kagome stops reading as she thinks about this little statement. _'Hmm, that is almost like being an alpha, they protect the pack, hunt, and provide clothing.'_ She continues to think about the things that she did for Sesshoumaru and it all finally clicked in her mind. _'Sesshoumaru must have thought that I was courting him. I have provided him with the finest things I have for his comfort, and when I gave him the clothes he thought that I was courting him. No wonder he seemed so upset and rejected me the first time.'_

Even if Kagome didn't know she was courting Sesshoumaru it hurt to know that he rejected her suit. It was hard to take as a lone tear fell down her cheek. _'I guess I now know where I stand with him. He rejected my efforts to court him so that means he is not interested.'_ She wipes her tears away while she gets herself under control.

Kagome finally understood what was going through Sesshoumaru's mind, she now knew for sure that Sesshoumaru did not have any interest in her. She also understands that he will never want someone like her so why get upset about it. She shook her head and starts reading again.

"The male Inu's are very protective of their chosen females. Any male that comes close to the female that he has an interest in will be attacked. They feel that this male is a threat to their claim on the chosen female and they will do everything within their power to make sure that any suitors are eliminated."

Kagome rubbed her eyes while she thought, _'So that's why Maru attacked Hojo. He thought that he was a threat to his claim, but that doesn't make any sense at all. He has not claimed me. As a matter of fact, Sesshoumaru has never made a claim on me. So, what is his problem with wanting to know who the male is that I love. He would freak if he finds out that it was him that I love.'_ Kagome sighs she knew that she was being foolish. Sesshoumaru would never love her in return, so why tell him.

Kagome put the scroll away, it made no sense to think about what might happen. She gets out a pair of scissors and starts making the final piece to Shippou's new shirt. She already has his hakama made. She has a new kimono for Sango. She has material for Miroku so he can have new robes. She has her new clothes already cut and ready to sew. She just needs some time alone to get it finished. She is still thinking about what to do with the new material she got for Sesshoumaru. Maybe she will come up with something as she works on her other projects.

Asumi must go and get her daughter to eat dinner. Sesshoumaru was sitting at the table and Asumi could tell that he was not happy about something. She looks at her daughter out of the corner of her eye and figures that it is her daughter that is the cause of his upset.

Asumi is very amused, she guessed that her daughter is not going to let Sesshoumaru have his way on anything and she is being as stubborn as usual. She will let her daughter handle Sesshoumaru. She will need the practice, if what she is thinking about actually comes to pass.

Sesshoumaru was not a happy Youkai at the moment. His female is not telling him who this male is that she is in love with so he could kill him. He will not let another male come sniffing around his female. His beast was in full agreement, he too wanted to know who this male is.

They ate their dinner in silence and when the meal was done Sesshoumaru observes when the little miko goes outside. He follows and thinks about how he was going to get his information. He decides to change his plan of attack, he looks up and notices that the little miko was sitting by the sacred tree. He went over to her while he lands gently on her knee and asks, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru has some questions."

Kagome sighs she thought that he was going to ask her about the male that she was talking about earlier today. But to her surprise she hears him ask, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru would like to know why those females were under the impression that you have been ill. To this Sesshoumaru's knowledge you have not been ill."

Kagome breathes a sigh of relief. She thought that he was going to be asking her about the male she was in love with.

Kagome proceeds to explain to Sesshoumaru why her friends thought that she was always sick. She explains that she has tried for three years to stay current on her schooling. Her battles with Inuyasha to let her come home to take the test that she needed to take to go from grade to grade. To her failing this year because Inuyasha has made her miss so much. She will not be attending any more school because the jewel hunt took priority over everything she did.

Sesshoumaru saw the hurt in Kagome's eyes. She gave up so much just so she could hunt down the jewel shards in his era. There was a new appreciation for the little miko building inside his chest and his beast couldn't agree more with his assessment.

Sesshoumaru continues to ask her questions on the things he has seen in her era and the jewel around his neck. Once all his questions were answered he then turned his mind back to the business at hand, "Miko you will answer my question from earlier today."

Kagome has a scowl on her face, she knew that this was coming. He was only asking her questions to distract her so she would answer him about this male. She huffs and states, "I will not answer that question Lord Sesshoumaru. It's none of your business who he is. You have no claim on me so why are you interested in knowing who this male is?"

Sesshoumaru looks away when he growls, the female was correct. He has no claim on her nor has he let her know that he was interested in courting her. Sesshoumaru's beast piped in on his thoughts, _**'You must tell her, you must tell her that she is ours and we will not let another male take her from us.'**_

Sesshoumaru growls at his beast, he was clearly upset, _'No I will not tell her that she is to be our mate. We can do nothing to give her a courting mark. We cannot defend her against other males if they are to come after her and she chooses to have the male court her.'_

Kagome looks at the Youkai Lord, he seems to be thinking about something. He never answers her questions. It made it clear to her that he was not going to be making a claim on her. A lone tear came down her cheek and she quickly wipes it away. She did not want him to know how much he hurt her, "I will not tell you his name but you can know this, he has made no claim against me so I will continue to hunt shards until I'm done and then I will come home."

Sesshoumaru sees the tears that the little miko was shedding when he hears her words. She will not tell him who this male is but he did not hold a claim on her person. This settles Sesshoumaru's beast for the moment but he was not backing down from having his logical side tell the little female that he wants her for a mate.

Sesshoumaru feels movement when the little miko stand up from the ground. He jumps from her knee and forms his youki cloud under his feet, then he observes where she is going. He follows closely behind her because she is about to go into the room that she was in earlier. "Miko this Sesshoumaru will accompany you."

Kagome stops before she enters her room and said in a low voice, "I need to be alone for a while Lord Sesshoumaru. You are not coming with me." Before Sesshoumaru could protest her decision she quickly enters her sewing room and closes the door behind her. Her barrier came up as it prevents the Youkai Lord from entering.

Sesshoumaru could not move fast enough to follow the miko. He picks up the scent of her tears, then he turns and goes upstairs. The little miko was upset and he did not know how to make it better.

-oOo-

The next few days proves to be stressful for Sesshoumaru. He tries his best to be by the miko so they can spend time together. She was being very quiet and only answers the questions that he asks. She has withdrawn within herself, he could not figure out why she was acting this way and he was not giving in to his beast to tell the little female that he has interests in her.

His little miko was spending a lot of time in that room of hers. She was not allowing him to enter while she would spend hours in there by herself. During the time that she was in there Sesshoumaru sat in her room thinking about what he wants to do. He was limited in the places he could go and he was getting tired of waiting here.

Sesshoumaru thought that the little miko wants to be away from him so he will spend his time in the sacred tree while she is home. He relaxes in the tree while he looks around the area. It is hard to believe that this is what his home was going to turn into in a short 500 years. He could not understand what happens to the Youkai and why they have treated the lands this way.

The lands were polluted, the air was foul, and there were too many people living in just a small section of land. He wonders where everything went so wrong to cause the lands to become this way. He was heartbroken to see it like this, but he was wondering, if he is still alive and in this era, where is he and why has he not put a stop to all of this? It was clear to him that the ningens have over develop the lands and did not put anything back when they tore down the trees.

Youkai are very in tuned with nature. They will never allow the lands to become like this. Something went terribly wrong and he was going to find out what that is. But then a thought came to his mind, _'Could the miko's death have something to do with why the lands ended up like this? I know that I would be devastated if something happens to the little miko. Could I be dead now?'_ Now there was a thought.

The evening meal was a quiet affair. Kagome has come to a decision and it is time for her to return to the feudal era. When she was done eating she looks up and states, "Mom, in the morning I will be leaving to return to the feudal era. It's time that I get the rest of the jewel shards together and put Naraku to rest."

Asumi looks at her daughter with sad eyes. She knows that this might be the last time that she will see her little girl alive. She was scared that if she returns she will not be coming back. If what she read in the diary is true she will die in a few short months. "Ok dear, I will make sure you have everything that you need." Asumi states in a firm and confident voice, but there was no confidence in her heart, she is about to lose her only daughter.

Sesshoumaru hears the little miko's words and he was happy about going back. At least back in his era he will have some time alone with the little miko. Here there were too many eyes watching him. He did not feel comfortable here and with them going back he would be in control.

Sesshoumaru decides to give the little miko some private time with her family while he excuses himself from the table and goes upstairs. It will be the little miko's last night here and he did not want to interfere with her alone time with her family. He enters the little miko's room and sits on his pillow while he meditates. He needs to get himself under control once again so he can protect his miko. She has taught him a lot since they have been here and he is still learning from her.

Kagome notices when Sesshoumaru leaves to go upstairs. Her brother and Jii-san are going into the living room to watch television and that left her and her mother in the kitchen. She takes this time to talk to her mother and asks, "Mom, do you think that I'm doing the right thing?"

Asumi turns to her daughter wondering what she was talking about, "What do you mean Kagome?"

Kagome thought about it for a little bit, when she has her thoughts together she states, "What I mean is, do you think that I'm doing the right thing with Sesshoumaru? I mean he shows no interest in me. He avoids me every chance he gets. I have given him plenty of opportunities to tell me what he's feeling but he says nothing."

Asumi laughs at her daughter's remarks, "Kagome, you aren't looking hard enough. I see his eyes soften when he looks at you. I see the admiration he has when he observes you from afar. It's the little things that he does that tells me that he is in love with you even though he is finding it hard to tell you what is in his heart. Take an interest in him Kagome. Ask him questions about himself and I'm sure that you will be surprised at what he might tell you.

"Kagome, I wish you could see what I can, he cares for you deeply and he is not one to express himself easily. I'm sure that part of it, must be the way he was raised. He is Lord of the lands and he must act as such. He carries a heavy burden on his shoulders and he has no one to speak with to make it better for him.

"He has no one to ask advice. He only relies on himself and his inner beast. Though I know that his other half is a beast, I'm willing to bet that he is very intelligent. I have seen you playing with him and I bet it is the first time that he has such an experience.

"To me he looks happy, and I'm wondering what else you can make him do that is out of character for him."

Asumi watches while her daughter listens to her speak, she was taking everything in making sure that she did not miss a single word. "Kagome, one more thing that I want you to know, if he ever asks you to marry him, you have my blessing. I think that he is your match and you will be very happy with him. Just promise me that you won't give up on him. Don't let your happiness slip through your fingers, because if you let him get away from you, there will never be another chance to be happy with someone."

Kagome understands what her mother is saying. She needs to open her eyes and let her heart feel what is around her. She smiles happily at her mother for all her insightful advice, "All right mom, I will pay more attention to what is going on around me. I will give him a chance. Heaven knows I have given Inuyasha more chances than he deserves but I will try with Sesshoumaru."

Asumi was happy with this and they continue cleaning the kitchen. When they were done, Kagome went upstairs to pack her bag. She first got the clothes she made for her pack and carries them all in her arms. She enters her room and places the garments on the bed and then goes looking for her bag.

Sesshoumaru notices when the little miko came into the room. Her arms were full of kimonos while he watches what she is going to do. She finds her small bag and puts it on her bed, then she starts to fold the kimonos. His eyes open wide when he notices that everything she was folding was going into the bag. He is wondering how all of this could fit in such a small bag when he notices the magic that was inside.

A small smile comes to Sesshoumaru's lips, _'My little miko is very smart. She has cast a spell on her bag that will make everything smaller when she puts something in there. It is like what she did to this necklace.'_

He observes when she walks around the room and gathers her things. She moves with grace and beauty, he is mesmerized by her moments. When she is done, she sits down on her bed, deeply thinking about something. He has never seen her this deep in thought before, while he continues to observe her to see what she is going to do next.

Kagome sits down once she is done, she starts thinking about what her mother said and there were a few questions that she wants to ask Sesshoumaru. She needs to know if she even has a chance with him, but there are some grey areas in her knowledge of the Youkai Lord. She makes up her mind and turns towards Sesshoumaru, "Lord Sesshoumaru, may I ask you a question?"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow rises when he hears her question. He was curious to see what she wants to ask him and replies, "You may ask your question miko."

Kagome takes a deep breath. She didn't know how she should phrase this question. She sighs, coming up empty, then she settles on the direct approach, "Are you mated Sesshoumaru?"

To say that Sesshoumaru was shocked was an understatement. "Why do you want to know if I'm mated miko?"

Kagome turns away from him and closes her eyes. Damn she wishes that for once in his long life he would just answer her question, without having to explain why she wants to know.

She thought carefully about what she was going to say, "I want to know because most females are very protective of their males. I don't want to cause problems if you are mated. I will respect her claim on you and I will ask you to stay away from me. I may be many things, but the one thing I'm not is a whore. I will not allow anyone to even think that we are that way with each other."

Now this took Sesshoumaru completely by surprise, his beast was now pushing him to make sure that she understands that there is no mate in his life. There is no way that Sesshoumaru can put his beast off, he was being very insistent that he tell her. He finally gives in to his beast's demands, "No miko this Sesshoumaru does not have a mate."

Kagome breathes a little easier, then asks her next question, "Then are you courting anyone at the moment?"

Sesshoumaru has no idea where all this was going but he answers her questions to make her at ease. "No, I am not courting anyone." Immediately Sesshoumaru feels the happiness that came from the miko. She is happy that he did not have a mate and that he was not courting anyone.

' _Ok, at least now I know that I have a chance with him. If he is not mated and he is not courting anyone then he is free for the taking. But why is he being so difficult in telling me what his feelings are?'_ Kagome didn't know the answer to that question. But she did promise her mother that she will pay more attention to what is going on around her to see if she can notice the things that her mother has.

Kagome turns her attention back to Sesshoumaru, "Thank you for answering my questions, I do appreciate it."

Sesshoumaru is now curious about why she is asking him these questions. He felt her happiness when he replies in the negative. Sesshoumaru beast has a thought and states, _**'Our miko must be interested in us. Remember she said that if we were mated she would respect our females claim on us. Our female has honor and she will not put herself in a situation that will cause us embarrassment. Did you not feel her happiness when you stated that there was no female in our lives? This proves that she has feelings for us.'**_

Sesshoumaru couldn't help but to agree with his beast. His little miko was truly happy when he stated that. He watches her like a hawk until she changes into her sleeping yakuta and is humming a happy tune, while she brushes her hair. She then goes to bed and falls asleep with a smile on her features, then Sesshoumaru gets ready for bed as well.

When he is ready he jumps to the miko's bed and makes his way over to her. He gently caresses her cheek and whispers, "Sleep well my little miko. Soon I will be able to tell you everything that is in my heart."

Sesshoumaru finds his place, right under her chin and curls up relaxing. It did not take him long to fall asleep while he dreams of his life with the little miko as his mate.

But what Sesshoumaru fails to notice is that Kagome is not completely asleep and she hears his words. Her heart lifts and it fills with joy knowing that he did care about her. He is just having problems expressing himself to her and she is determined to hear those words from his lips. Her mother was right, she settles down and falls asleep with Sesshoumaru close to her body.

-oOo-

The next morning was a flurry of activity around the miko's home. With her pending departure, her family was making sure that she has everything that she needs before she leaves.

Once the morning meal was over they all gather and walk to the well. They all say their goodbyes to the little miko and to Sesshoumaru's surprise it was the miko's mother that approaches him and says, "We were honored to have you here in our home Lord Sesshoumaru. Please feel free to return as much as you like. You will always be welcomed."

Sesshoumaru was touched by the miko's mother as he bows and says, "I thank you Asumi-san for the heartfelt welcome. It was a pleasure to meet you and I hope to see you again."

Asumi smiles while she watches her daughter with the little Youkai. She will love for him to come back so she could see what he looks like in his normal form. She hopes with all her heart that her daughter survives what the fates have in store for her.

Asumi kisses Kagome once more and watches as her daughter heads towards the well. She gets up on the lip of the well, grabs Sesshoumaru in her hands and brings him closer to her chest. When she is ready Kagome smiles at her mother and jumps. The magic of the well flashes as the blue light disappears once more.

Everyone leaves the well house except for Asumi, when Jii-san and Souta are gone she walks towards the well. She looks down and says, "Please come back to me Kagome. I don't know what I will do if anything ever happens to you." She then turns and heads home, still with a feeling of dread deep in her heart, she prays for her daughter to stay safe.

-oOo-

This is the end of another chapter. Jealousy reared its ugly head when Sesshoumaru finds out that Kagome has a love interest, too bad for him that he doesn't know he is her love interest.

In honor of Memorial Day, for all the soldiers who gave their lives for this country so that we may live free, and for those who have passed in our families. I dedicate this chapter to them. You are always in our hearts.

In the next chapter Kagome and Sesshoumaru return to the past, but their time together is interrupted when Inuyasha and Kikyou show up.

Until the next time!

Ja ni


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Kagome and Sesshoumaru landed safely in the feudal era. She was still holding Sesshoumaru in her arms when she gently pulls him away from her chest. She looks at the Youkai Lord as they stare at each other for a few minutes. There was an understanding between them then Sesshoumaru forms his cloud under his feet and floats up towards the top.

Kagome starts her long climb up, finally getting out of the well and putting her back pack down. She stands straight up and breathes in the wonderful clean air. Ah, she was finally home in her favorite era, before the pollution, that will turn Edo into the city that it will be in the future.

Sesshoumaru floats out of the well, he turns and waits patiently for his miko to climb out. He was now free to look at his miko. He did not have a chance to look at her closely when they were on the other side of the well because she asked him to leave her room so she can dress. He has seen a small portion of what she is wearing when his eyes open wide. His female looks beautiful in her new kimono.

She is not wearing her normal kimono from her era and the kimono that she is wearing suits her perfectly. It covers her parts perfectly. No longer will he have to worry about other males looking at what is his. Flying circles around her body, he admires her figure.

Kagome was nervous when she sees Sesshoumaru going around her in circles. She thought that there might be something wrong with her clothes and asks in a timid voice, "Sesshoumaru… is there anything wrong with what I'm wearing?"

Sesshoumaru stops in front of the little miko and states clearly, "No there is nothing wrong with your kimono miko. Your kimono suits you. You look absolutely stunning in them."

Kagome was not expecting Sesshoumaru to praise her clothing. He likes her dressed like this and she blushes, a deep red colors her cheeks while it makes its way down her neck. "Thank you Sesshoumaru, I never thought that you would like it."

Sesshoumaru sees his female blushing. She looks beautiful dressed like this. She is wearing a black hakama that was like his, small little black boots cover her feet. She has on a white sleeveless juban, and the haori has no sleeves as well. It was made of a very dark green cloth that was soft to the touch, with yellow embroidery of the forest stitched along the bottom of the haori. The haori has a slit on each side of her legs going up to her hips, allowing her free movement. A golden sash completes her outfit and he thought that it brought out her eye color even more.

Sesshoumaru moves closer to his little miko and sits upon her shoulder. His tail goes around her neck while he settles back and moves closer to her. This is his place with her and he is happiest here on her shoulder.

The little miko bends slightly and picks up her bag, then she starts to make their way back towards the village. They were talking quietly with each other. Kagome will give a laugh every now and then, when Sesshoumaru would tell her what Rin did to Jaken. She is enjoying her time with Sesshoumaru and the things that her mother mentioned to her is true.

But Kagome also notices something else. Once they came back to the feudal era Sesshoumaru seems to relax even more around her. It was just the two of them in the forest and he seems to be opening up to her. His tail is around her neck and every now and then it will move to caress her. She gives a contented sigh as they continue on their way at a slow pace. She is in no hurry to get back to the village, while she enjoys her time with Sesshoumaru.

Kagome was explaining the reason for cars in her era to Sesshoumaru when she stops in her tracks. She only has a split second to react to the threat then leaps out of the way. The attack came in fast and it was powerful enough to kill her if she was not paying attention. Rolling to her feet she quickly turns to see who was attacking them.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was waiting for Kagome to come back from her era. He knew that she will return soon and then he will have his chance to get her soul and allow his mate to become whole once again.

He has been waiting for days and during that time his hands finally heal from their burn. His hands are scarred and he has lost some of the feeling in them. It was difficult to hold Tetsusaiga but at least he could hold it. His sword has returned to normal and he can transform it again.

His Kikyou made sure that Kagome will not be able to control his sword again. It still did its job in keeping his Youkai side under control but it was more powerful than before. He couldn't wait to try out his new sword and kill the wench for taking his pack and his brother for interfering in his life.

He was in a tree near the well when he sees the flash of light. He looks down when he notices Sesshoumaru coming out of the well first and then Kagome. His eyes open wide when he sees her in her new kimono. She looks beautiful dressed like that. She looks like a warrior from this era, and carries herself as such.

When Kagome's scent hit his nose, he relaxes. Her scent always did that to him, he never understood why her scent affects him like this. As a matter of fact, he could also fight better with her by his side. Here lately his fighting has been off and he couldn't understand why. He is protecting his mate, but for some reason the Tetsusaiga is also heavier than it was before making it hard for him to fight.

Inuyasha stays in the tree while he watches his brother and Kagome. Kikyou's concealment spell is keeping him hidden from their senses and he can spy on them. His brother seems to be taken with Kagome and this did not sit well with him. Kagome belongs to him, she is a bitch in his pack and he is not about to give her up to his brother.

He attacks sending his wind scar toward his target. He is surprised that Kagome could move so fast. He has never seen her move like this before. This only angers him more because he misses.

He sent another attack towards her, his wind scar racing from his sword going towards the bitch. He attacks quickly to make sure that he catches Kagome off balance. He did not want her to put another spell on his sword to prevent him from using it.

Kagome couldn't move out of the way of Inuyasha's second attack and puts up a barrier to protect herself and Sesshoumaru. She pours all her powers into her barrier as the attack from Inuyasha's sword grew in power. This surprised Kagome because she has never seen his sword do this before, but there was also something different about this attack. It was tainted in some way that she cannot explain.

Sesshoumaru was worried that the little miko will not be able to hold off Inuyasha's attack. He adds his own barrier to hers and it was not holding as he hopes. This attack was far more powerful than he remembers while they are both struggling to keep their barriers up. At that moment Tenseiga starts to pulse in its sheath as a barrier is placed around them. It pushes Inuyasha's attack back as Sesshoumaru's eyes open wide.

Sesshoumaru notices that even though he is in a smaller form his fang works to protect the little miko. He is surprised that his father's fang could be so powerful and it will be very handy to have when they fight against Naraku.

Kagome relaxes when that attack is pushed away from her location. She knew that Sesshoumaru was the one to do that. He is a lot more powerful than she thought as she stands straight up and looks at Inu hanyou.

Kagome's anger grew when she sees Kikyou coming out of the forest to stand by Inuyasha's side. She has an evil smirk on her face, she thinks that she has won this battle. Kagome must teach the little bitch that she is a lot more powerful than she gave her credit for.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru face off against Kikyou and Inuyasha. It was Kikyou who broke the silence when she takes a half step forward and says, "You will give me the jewel. I am the only one who can protect it from Naraku. You don't have the power to protect that jewel nor the guts. You should have stayed in your era you whore at least you would be alive."

Kagome's anger grew when she bluntly states, "Why should I give you the jewel? So, you can give it to Naraku again like you did with the others. You must know all about being a whore because he is your lover after all.

"Do you think that I haven't noticed what you are doing? Inuyasha may be blind to it but I'm not. You reek of Naraku's aura and the only way you can get it is to be intimate with him. You are no longer the jewels protector because you died over 50 years ago and need to return there. I am the jewels guardian and it will stay with me.

"I on the other hand will take the three shards that you have. You will not need them."

Kikyou huffs, how dare her reincarnation say that she wants the jewel shards she holds, like she will ever give them up, "You will never get the shards away from me. Once I have your piece then I will go after the rest. Inuyasha will help me defeat Naraku and then we can live happily together."

Sesshoumaru is standing on Kagome's shoulder and he smells the lies coming from the corpse miko. "You lie wench! Inuyasha may not be able to smell your lies with the spell you have on him. But I can smell your lies even from here. You have no plans on defeating Naraku and you have no plans on letting Inuyasha help you to defeat him. You plan on killing Inuyasha when it suits your needs. You want the jewel for yourself just so you can have a living, breathing, body."

Inuyasha was dumbfounded while he listens to what is being said. He looks at his mate and he is wondering if there is any truth to what they are saying. He cannot detect any lies coming from his brother or Kagome. He knew that his brother will never lie, it was beneath him, but he did not detect any lies from his mate. Now he was confused as to who was telling the truth.

Kikyou notices the confusion on Inuyasha's face. She didn't like that look one bit and strengthens her spell on him. It makes him blind to the fact that his brother was right and that her reincarnation knew that Naraku was her lover. If she lost control over Inuyasha then all her carefully laid out plans will be in ruins.

She has been planning this for a while now. Inuyasha was completely blind to what she is doing and she wants to keep it that way. She needs his protection until the jewel is complete and she is made whole once more.

Kagome stands there and watches what is going on. She notices what Kikyou is doing and she had enough, she raises her hand, saying, "Come." The three jewel shards that Kikyou has flew out of her kimono and land neatly in Kagome's hand. They are still tainted while she purifies the shards. She looks up and states, "You can't even purify the shards anymore, what makes you think that you will be able to complete the jewel and protect it?"

Kikyou was surprised at the amount of power her reincarnation possessed. There was no way that she could get the jewel shards with the barrier she put around them. But all she did is raise her hand and call to them. She broke her spell and now she has her shards. "You bitch give me back my shards!"

Kagome puts the shards with the rest, "They are not yours so I won't give them back to you. They belong to me and I will be keeping them."

Inuyasha is angry that Kagome will just take Kikyou's shards. Who is she to demand the shards from his mate, he raises his sword once more and attacks.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru notice the attack coming their way and they both jump in opposite directions. Kagome pulls her sword from its sheath and gets ready to do battle.

Kikyou notice the sword that the bitch has in her possession and her eyes open wide. It is the sword that she has been searching for, "Where did you find my sword?"

Kagome looks at Kikyou like she is crazy, "This is not your sword Kikyou. It belongs to me and it has accepted me as its owner."

"That is the sword that I have been searching for. It is my sword and I demand that you give it back to me." Kikyou continues to look at her reincarnation with heated eyes. She wants Midoriko sword because it holds tremendous powers. If she can unlock its secret she will be able to defeat Naraku.

"I found this sword in my era, in my shrine. So, this cannot be your sword because if it was then it will be with you now. So, you have no claim on this sword and I will not give it back." Kagome is not about to give up her sword to the corpse. But she is interested in knowing what was so special about her sword if Kikyou wants it so bad.

Inuyasha had enough, if his mate wants the sword the wench has in her hand then he will get it for her. He leaps and goes after Kagome. Sesshoumaru leaps at the same time going after the corpse. If he kills her then Inuyasha will not be after his little miko.

Kagome sees Inuyasha coming towards her when she yells, "Tetsusaiga!" But to her surprise Tetsusaiga did not return to its normal form. She notices the spell that is on the sword and it is powerful. Kikyou thought that she could control Tetsusaiga but the sword is not hers to control.

The sword belongs to Kagome because she is the one who pulled it free from the tomb. It only works if she is the one being protected by the sword. That's why it will revert to its rusty self when she calls its name. She brings her sword up and blocks his attack. They push each other back as they go around in circles trying to find an opening.

Sesshoumaru is attacking the corpse miko with his whip. His whip is more than powerful enough to take care of the corpse while he continues to slash at his opponent. Kikyou tries to attack Sesshoumaru but her attacks will do no damage to the Youkai Lord. He is being protected by something very powerful, her spells and incantations are not working. She is losing this battle to a miniature Youkai, when she looks off to the side to see how Inuyasha is doing.

Inuyasha came in again, swinging his sword across his body missing Kagome. He came around again swinging his sword wildly trying to kill the bitch.

Kagome is moving fast and avoiding all his strikes. She is trying to think of a way to take away Tetsusaiga powers when she came up with a plan. She sheaths her sword and waits for Inuyasha to come in again.

Inuyasha, seeing that Kagome sheath her sword sees his opportunity. He swings his sword down but instead of cutting Kagome in half like he wants she catches the blade between her hands. He cannot get the blade away from her when he notices what she is doing.

Kagome sees the blade coming down and brings her hands up to catch the blade between them. She uses her powers to hold the blade in place and lets some of her blood seep out from the cuts she receives. Her blood runs down the length of the blade when it starts to cover it. She starts her spell and the sword returns to its original form. She let go of the blade, noticing the look on Inuyasha's face.

Inuyasha was shocked, his sword returned to its original state as he tries to get it to transform. Try as he might it will not transform for him, then he looks at Kagome with heated eyes. "What did you do to my sword bitch?"

Kagome stands straight and states, "That sword is not yours to command. It belongs to me and it is meant to protect me not the corpse. You will no longer be able to transform it and there is nothing that Kikyou can do to reverse my spell. You will not be able to use it to protect her from now on. You will have to use your actual strength and your mind to protect her in battle, but we all know how well you use your brain."

Inuyasha grew angry and attacks with his claws. Kagome jumps to the left and then notices when he runs past her. She turns around for the next attack when she is hit in the shoulder with a Shuriken. She screams in pain and falls to the ground unconscious.

Inuyasha, thinking that Kagome is out of commission, tries to take her sword from her. But when he touches the sword, he is instantly purified, he let's go and then looks at his hands. The burn was worse this time around; he turns around when he hears his mate's cries. He notices that Sesshoumaru is about to kill her and that she is severely injured. He moves with speed and snatches Kikyou out of harm's way, but he is not so lucky and is hit with Sesshoumaru's attack.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru is moving fast, trying to kill the corpse miko. He is tired of this wench coming to hurt what is his. His whip comes out, when he slashes her chest and she falls backwards. He is coming in for another attack when he sees her throw a Shuriken that just missed him. He turns in time to see where it is going when it hit his mate.

Sesshoumaru sees when his mate falls to the ground. Her blood hit his nose and his eyes turn red. His beast is angered beyond his control and attacks. His claws grew longer while he slashes the corpse on her neck. The wound is deep and the souls from within her are escaping her fake body. He attacks again but this time he hit his brother when he came to defend his bitch.

Inuyasha looks down and notices the claw marks on his chest. His damn brother is using his poison and he needs to get his mate out of harm's way. He will have a hard time sealing her wound with Sesshoumaru's poison but he must try or she will die.

Inuyasha picks his mate up when another more powerful attack comes towards him. He leaps away from the area and runs. He cannot afford to stay here and let his mate die. He moves as fast as he can to get Kikyou out of the area.

Sesshoumaru howls his frustrations when he sees his brother grab the corpse miko and leave the area. He turns and goes towards his miko to look at her wounds. He cannot remove the Shuriken from her shoulder and he needs help.

Sesshoumaru stands straight up and concentrates, he let his youki fill the area, he was looking for the miko's pack. He is looking for the young kit and the neko that is with them. When he finds them, he lets a howl fill the area while he told the kit and neko to come quickly. The miko was hurt and he needs their help.

-oOo-

Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou were in Kaede's hut still waiting for Kagome to return from her era. Sango was preparing the evening meal and Kaede was out tending to someone that was hurt.

Shippou is sitting down by the fire while he plays with his toys. He is showing Kirara some tricks when he feels a powerful youki in the area. He then hears a howl coming from the forest as he and Kirara listen intently to the message.

Shippou's eyes grows wide when he yells, "Sango, Miroku, Kagome is hurt and Sesshoumaru needs our help! Hurry!"

Shippou and Kirara ran out of the hut as Kirara transforms into her larger form. Shippou hops on her back and she takes off towards the well.

Miroku and Sango hearing what the little kit is saying quickly gather their weapons and take off after them. They arrive at the well to see Kagome on the ground with the Youkai Lord standing next to her. They are rushing to her side when Shippou and Kirara stop them, then they hear Shippou say, "Wait here, let me approach Sesshoumaru first. His beast is in control and he may think that we are here to hurt Kagome."

Sango and Miroku understand what the kit was saying when he approaches Sesshoumaru very slowly.

Sesshoumaru's beast is very much in control. His blood red eyes are a testament to that fact. Sesshoumaru feels when someone came into the area, he turns, barring his fangs to the intruders. He is protecting his little miko and he is not about to let anyone come near her.

Shippou approaches very slowly when he stops a few feet away from Sesshoumaru. He turns his head and bares his neck to him in submission. He is hoping that Sesshoumaru will recognize him and allow him to come nearer, he watches the Youkai Lord out of the corner of his eye.

Sesshoumaru notices when the little kit came closer to him barring his neck. He sniffs and recognizes the little kit that belongs to his miko. He nods for him to come closer and Shippou approaches with caution.

When Shippou finally reaches him, he said, "Lord Sesshoumaru we have come to help, please allow us to take mama back to the village where Kaede can tend to her wounds."

Sesshoumaru is fighting for control when he finally gets it back from his beast. His eyes went back to normal and clearly states, "We must move her quickly. This Shuriken has a spell on it that this Sesshoumaru cannot remove."

Sango and Miroku hearing what the Youkai Lord is saying and come closer. Miroku reaches down and grabs Kagome, being careful to keep his hands in the proper place or else the Youkai Lord will kill him. He could tell by his growls that he is not pleased that he has Kagome in his arms and he is determined to prove to him that he is not always a lecher.

Sango, Miroku, Shippou and Kagome get on Kirara as she heads back to the village. Kirara is rushing back to the village to get help for Kagome. Sango is amazed that Sesshoumaru can fly so fast, and that he is able to keep up with them.

They finally make it to Kaede's hut when Shippou takes off to find Kaede. They need her to tend to Kagome's injuries.

Miroku takes Kagome into the hut and lays her down on a mat that Sango has laid out for the miko. Once Kagome was placed on the mat Miroku turns and leaves the hut. He did not want to be on the receiving end of Sesshoumaru's wrath when Sango starts taking off Kagome's kimono.

Sango quickly puts some water to boil while she looks at Kagome's wound. She wants to see if she could remove the Shuriken from Kagome's shoulder. She kneels next to her beloved sister then she grabs the Shuriken. As soon as her fingers wrap around the hilt she yelps in pain and moves away from Kagome. There is a powerful barrier around the Shuriken to prevent anyone from removing it.

Miroku is outside pacing in front of the hut when he hears Sango yelp. He comes running back into the hut to see what is wrong. He notices his beloved sitting on the floor of the hut and rushes to her side, "Sango, what happen to you? How did you get hurt?"

Sango looks at her hand, it is red and blisters are starting for form on it, "I wanted to see if I could remove the Shuriken from Kagome's shoulder but there seems to be a barrier around it. It burned my hand when I touched it."

Miroku goes closer to Kagome and looks at the Shuriken. There is a barrier around it and it is going to be difficult to remove the Shuriken from her shoulder. They must wait until Kaede comes back to see if she knows how to remove it. "We have to wait for Kaede. I can't remove this spell alone and it is powerful. Kagome is keeping the spell from killing her but I don't know how longer she can fight the spell in her condition."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes when Shippou comes running back into the hut with Kaede right behind him.

Kaede is hurrying as fast as her old bones will let her. She finally makes it back to her hut when she sees everyone gathered around Kagome. "What has happened to Kagome?"

Everyone in the hut turn towards Sesshoumaru while they wait to hear what happened.

Sesshoumaru growls but relays what happened when they came back from the miko's era. The battle they fought against Inuyasha, the corpse miko, and what she did to his little miko.

Kaede listens to everything that Sesshoumaru is saying and it is not looking good. She then hears Miroku's and Sango's explanation on what happened when Sango tried to remove the Shuriken out of Kagome's shoulder. Kaede comes closer to the little miko and looks at the Shuriken. It has a very powerful spell on it and then she starts to gather herbs.

While Kaede makes a potion to remove the Shuriken she explains what the spell is doing to Kagome, "I have seen this spell only one other time. It is meant to kill the one it hits; from what I can tell Kagome is holding off the effects of the spell but I don't know how much longer she will be able to fight against it. We need to break this spell as soon as possible."

Kaede finishes her potion and calls Miroku to her. "Miroku I need your most powerful ofuda and I need for you to place it on the hilt of the Shuriken."

Miroku understands, he reaches into his robes and pulls out his most powerful ofuda. He starts to pray over it when the ofuda starts to glow with power. He then he places it on the Shuriken as Kaede sprinkles some of her potion on the ofuda to try and break the spell. But unfortunately, the ofuda is not powerful enough to break the spell as Kaede lets out a long sigh. "I was afraid of this. Your ofuda is not powerful enough to break this spell Miroku. I will need something much more powerful than your ofuda."

They are all sitting there trying to find something that they can use to break this spell when Kaede notices something glowing around Sesshoumaru's neck. She turns her attention to him and asks, "Lord Sesshoumaru what is it that you have around your neck?"

Sesshoumaru was standing near his little miko. He was looking at her intently, wondering when she will wake up. He is worried about her, no one seems to be able to get rid of the Shuriken that is imbedded in her shoulder and this worries him. He is standing there thinking when he hears the old miko's question. He turns towards her and says, "It is a jewel that the miko gave this Sesshoumaru for protection."

Kaede raises an eyebrow at this statement, "May I see the jewel that she gave you Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Sesshoumaru steps away from his miko and pulls out the jewel from within his haori. The blood red jewel glows brightly as Kaede's eye opens wide. "That is a Miko's Red Tear. I didn't know that Kagome is able to create one."

The others in the hut were confused as Miroku asks, "Kaede what is a Miko's Red Tear? What does it do?"

Kaede thought about how to best explain what this jewel is, "Generally any miko can give a talisman to anyone to protect them. As I'm sure you are aware Kagome gave you each something to always have with you in case you find any of Naraku's incarnations.

"But a powerful miko can create a Miko's Red Tear. This jewel is the most powerful talisman that a miko can create. It is a very complicated spell, she must pull power from the elements around her, fire, wind, water, and earth. She will also pull power from the forest, for it will give her strength. But the key thing to bind this spell is her soul.

"She pulls power from the purest part of her soul and then channels that power into the jewel. If Kagome did this correctly, then a piece of her soul is imbedded into the jewel to anchor the spell. Her soul will act as a conduit to hold any extra power that the person will need. It will then channel it to the individual wearing the jewel.

"In Sesshoumaru-sama's case he can use Kagome's powers to fight against his enemies. He can purify his opponents and it will not hurt him. It protects him at the highest level and very few can break through this protection.

"Sesshoumaru-sama can summon Kagome's powers and use it for whatever he needs. If he can do so now, then I will guide him in what he needs to do to remove the Shuriken from Kagome's shoulder before she gets any weaker." Kaede finishes her explanation of what the jewel was and everyone was shocked to hear her answer.

Sesshoumaru is amazed that his little miko can create a jewel that will protect him so well. Then something clicks in his mind, that day that she gave him the jewel he felt her powers rise. He must have felt when she created this jewel for him. He was brought out of his thoughts when he hears the last of the old miko's words, "Just tell this Sesshoumaru what he needs to do to remove the Shuriken. I can feel the miko weakening and we need to do this with haste."

Kaede understands the Youkai Lord then she tells him what he needs to do. Sesshoumaru did as instructed, but no matter how hard he tries, he cannot remove the Shuriken from his miko's shoulder.

Sesshoumaru stops and starts to think. _'If I can shrink the Shuriken then I will be able to pull the Shuriken out of the miko's shoulder and it will not do her any harm.'_ He thought this plan to be the most logical and starts the spell that the miko taught him. He was happy that he got her to tell him how to cast this spell as he concentrates.

Sesshoumaru floats over his miko's body when he cast his spell. He touches the hilt of the Shuriken, when it starts to shrink. When it was small enough he wraps his tail around the hilt and pulls as hard as he can. The Shuriken came out of the miko shoulder but there was a problem. The spell now is trying to kill him when he flies out of the hut and heads towards the forest.

Miroku notices what is going on and follows the Youkai Lord. He wants to make sure that Sesshoumaru stays safe. He rushed outside hoping that nothing would happen to Sesshoumaru.

Kaede and Sango quickly took care of Kagome's bleeding shoulder as they are able to stop the bleeding and bandage it.

Kagome is breathing hard, she is in a nightmare. Someone is attacking Sesshoumaru and she needs to protect him. At that moment both Sango and Kaede move away from Kagome when her body starts to glow pink. Her powers were being released but they were not healing her wounds. They observe her powers leaving the hut as she was seeking something out to destroy it.

Sesshoumaru stops in the middle of the forest, and finally drops the Shuriken. The Shuriken is glowing black when the spell that is imbedded in the Shuriken flares and tries to kill him.

Sesshoumaru cracks his knuckles and let his poison mist go. The black aura from the Shuriken chooses that moment to attack him when it engulfs his body.

Miroku was following closely behind Sesshoumaru when he finally makes it to the area where the Youkai Lord is located. He sees Sesshoumaru flexing his claws when the black mist from the Shuriken chooses to attack him. It engulfs Sesshoumaru's body as Miroku pulls out a sutra and cast his spell. He throws it towards Sesshoumaru when a bright light is seen from the middle of the black mist. At first it was just in the middle of the mist, then the light starts to gain power. It starts to overtake the black mist, getting brighter by the minute.

Then suddenly the bright light explodes around the area as Miroku covers his eyes from the intensity. When the light dies down he finds Sesshoumaru on the ground unconscious and the Shuriken that he removed from Kagome's shoulder is nothing but melted steel. He approaches Sesshoumaru with caution and when he didn't notice any movement coming from the Youkai he gently picks him up in his hands and quickly make his way back to Kaede's hut.

-oOo-

Sango was getting worried about Kagome. Her powers were still growing when it looks like she is attacking someone. Then suddenly her powers reseed back into her body and she quiets down. Both Sango and Kaede were worried about Kagome when they see her slowly opening her eyes.

Kagome starts to wake up from her slumber. Her eyes are blurry while she tries to find out where she is located. Then her eyes come into focus and the first person she notices is Sango. There were tears coming from her eyes when she asks, "Kagome, how are you feeling?"

Kagome furrows her eyebrows together while she tries to remember what happen. When her mind did not provide her with what she needs she asks in a low and hoarse voice, "What happen?"

Sango explains what is going on to Kagome. Nothing Sango is saying is making any sense to her. Kagome didn't remember what happened, all she could remember was walking into the forest with Sesshoumaru.

' _Sesshoumaru… where is Sesshoumaru?'_ Kagome's heart is beating fast when she notices that Sesshoumaru is nowhere near her. She knew deep in her heart that he will not leave her if she is hurt. She looks at Sango and asks, "Sango… where is Sesshoumaru?"

Sango looks at Kaede, there is a worried look in her eyes, "Um Kagome… Sesshoumaru left the hut with the Shuriken that was imbedded in your shoulder. We don't know where he is." They see the tears starting to form in Kagome's eyes when Sango quickly continues, "But Miroku went after him. He wants to make sure that nothing happens to him so he followed to make sure Sesshoumaru stays safe."

Kagome's heart was beating fast. _'I know that Sesshoumaru won't leave me. Something must be wrong for him not to be here. I have to go and find him.'_ She starts to move and tries to sit up.

Kaede notices what Kagome is trying to do, she gently pushes her back down to the mat, and states, "Child you must remain still. The wound in your shoulder is not healed, it will open and you will start to bleed again."

Kagome did not care while she struggles to get up, "I don't care! I must find Sesshoumaru. Something is not right, I feel that he is in danger and I must go and find him. Please let go of me so I can get up."

They are having a hard time with Kagome when Miroku came rushing into the hut. He had Sesshoumaru in his hands and says, "Lord Sesshoumaru is unconscious and I can't wake him up."

Kaede turns and releases Kagome. She looks at the Youkai Lord in his hand and he is badly hurt. "Miroku, I don't know if I can heal him."

-oOo-

Kagome is finally sitting up and her breathing is labored. She looks over to where Miroku is standing and sees Sesshoumaru's lifeless body in his hands. His aura is weak, then she tells Miroku to hand over the Youkai Lord. Her orders broker no arguments from the monk because she meant business.

Kagome holds out her shaky hands as Miroku put the Youkai Lord in them. Once Kagome has Sesshoumaru in her hands she brings him closer to her body. She looks down and notices his black hands and arms.

Kikyou's spell is working to kill him and she will not let this happen. She opens his haori just a bit to expose his chest as a lone tear comes down her cheek. It starts to glow blue when it drops from her chin and lands on his chest.

The tear starts to work its magic as it heals Sesshoumaru's wounds. His whole body is engulfed in a blue aura while everyone in the hut looks on with amazement.

Kagome's eyes were starting to close. She was very tired but she will not give into the sleep that her body wants until she knows that Sesshoumaru is going to be all right. She observes as all his wounds are healed and his skin returns to its normal color. His breathing became even and he gives a gentle growl.

Kagome hears his growl and knows that he is going to be all right now. All he needs is rest, she lays back on her mat and falls into a deep sleep. She has Sesshoumaru cradled to her chest when she finally passes out.

Sango walks forward to take the Youkai Lord away from Kagome but when she bent down to grab him she finds that she can't touch him. The jewel around his neck is shining a bright blue, it forms a barrier around him, as a matter of fact there is a barrier around Kagome as well.

Sango turns to Kaede for answers when she hears, "Kagome is protecting Lord Sesshoumaru. There is no way that you will be able to take Lord Sesshoumaru from her. We should wait until they are both awake to make sure that they are healed. I still worry about Kagome, the spell that sister Kikyou placed on her might still be present. I didn't get a chance to see if she is free from this spell. We must wait to see if it has been broken."

Everyone understands what Kaede is saying while they go about their normal duties. Sango finishes the evening meal and then they all sit down to eat. They each took turns that night to watch over Kagome and Sesshoumaru, to see when they will wake up from their ordeal.

-oOo-

It has been two days since Kagome came back and two days that she and Sesshoumaru have been sleeping. The barrier around their body is still very strong and no one can get near them.

Shippou is sitting in the hut alone, watching over his mother. The others are out fighting against the Youkai that want the jewel shards that his mother has around her neck. Now that Kagome is back the Youkai can detect the jewel shards and want its power. He is hearing the battle being fought in the distance while he waits for the others to come back.

Shippou turns his attention to his mother. She is still sleeping and he is starting to get worried. The others indicated that they didn't know if the spell that was on the Shuriken did any damage to her. She has not moved since Sesshoumaru was brought back here unconscious.

A lone tear falls from Shippou's eyes. He did not want to lose another mother. All he wants is for Kagome to wake up. He is staring at Kagome when he notices that her powers are going back into her body. His eyes open wide while he looks on with anticipation. The first thing he notices is that Sesshoumaru is waking up.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was finally waking up from his ordeal. He is very tired and takes deep breaths to fill his lungs. A wonderful scent hit his nose when he let his breath out very slowly. He was lying on his side on something very soft. He could tell that he is moving up and down very slowly. He hears the gentle beating of a heartbeat and it soothed him.

Slowly he opens his eyes and the first thing that he sees is that he was laying on his little miko's chest between her breasts. He growls, he loves this area of her body. It is very soft and he is snuggled up to one of her soft mounds. He could tell that she is not wearing that piece of cloth that covers her chest all the time so he could feel the softness of her breast.

He slowly turns his head and looks at his miko, she is still sleeping and has not regained enough of her strength to wake up yet.

Sesshoumaru slowly sits up and looks around the hut. He notices the little kit when he gently gets up and jumps from the miko's chest. He lands right next to her, he stumbles a bit but regains his balance, then he noticed that his haori is open.

He is wondering how this could have happened when he hears the little kit answer his unasked question. "You were hurt and mama opened your haori. She cried a blue tear as it fell and hit your chest. Kaede said that it was a miko's tear of healing and healed your wounds. Mama fell asleep when she knew that you will be all right. You have both been sleeping for 2 days."

Sesshoumaru understood and fixes his kimono, then he hears the kit say, "Sesshoumaru-sama, please wait here and I will bring you something to eat." Shippou turns and runs out of the hut.

Sesshoumaru found a comfortable place to sit down while he waits for the kit to return. He is looking at his miko when the kit finally comes back.

Shippou comes back with a bowl of raw meat for Sesshoumaru. He bows and presents the Youkai Lord his meal and places it down in front of him.

Sesshoumaru looks at the food that he was given and notices that there was no liver or heart in the bowl. He turns toward the kit and asks, "Why did you not bring me the heart and liver of the kill?"

Shippou hears Sesshoumaru's question and answers, "I'm sorry Lord Sesshoumaru but the liver and heart belong to my mother, she is alpha. Only she can give you this from a fresh kill. It is my duty to make sure that she receives these items from a fresh kill as it is her right."

Sesshoumaru was pleased to hear this. The kit knows that his mother is the alpha and it is their job to make sure that she receives the best parts of a kill. He nods his head in approval while he eats his food. When he is done, he cleans himself, then he turns his attention to the little miko. He needs to wake her to make sure that she eats. It has been too many days now that she has not eaten and this was not good. Her body is weakening.

Sesshoumaru turns his attention towards the kit, "Kit, go and find the slayer, have her prepare a broth for the little miko. I am going to try to wake her and she will need something to eat. I don't want her eating anything too heavy or it will make her sick." Shippou understands and races out of the hut to go find Sango.

Sesshoumaru then turns his attention back towards his miko. He walks to her side and when he is by her ear he whispers, "Wake up my little miko, it is time that you wake and eat. You have been asleep for a while and need your nourishment."

Sesshoumaru notices that the miko is slowly moving. Her breathing became deep as she slowly opens her eyes.

Kagome hears someone calling out to her. She recognizes that voice and slowly starts to come out of her sleep. She gently opens her eyes and looks at her surroundings. She notices that she is in a hut, she has a tremendous headache, and raised her hand to her forehead and rubs it, then she tries to slowly sit up.

Kagome looks down at her chest and notices the bandage that is covering her breast. Her shoulder is stiff as she looks around the hut. She spots Sesshoumaru standing next to her and asks in a low and tired voice, "Sesshoumaru, how are you feeling?" She is still concerned about what happened to him when he removed the Shuriken from her shoulder.

Sesshoumaru jumps while he lands on her knee, "This Sesshoumaru has recovered from the attack. You need to eat miko, your body is weak and it needs to be nourished."

Kagome sits there and rubs her face. She is tired and her head hurt. At that moment, she looks up to see Sango entering the hut. She notices that she was hurt, "Sango what happened? Who did this to you?"

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku are making their way back to the hut. They have finally beaten the Youkai that wanted Kagome's jewel shards and they are on their way back to check on her. Miroku is fussing over Sango because she was hurt during that battle. She has a cut on her arm and another on her leg. She is limping back as best she could and he is helping her to walk.

For once Miroku shows true concern for Sango. His hands stay where they are put and he did not show his lecherous side. He is fussing over her making sure that she is all right and not in pain. Sango is grateful that Miroku is behaving himself. She didn't think that she has the strength to hit him if his hands wonder on her body.

They are almost to the village when they see Shippou running their way. They both thought that something was wrong with Kagome as they hurry towards the kit. When they finally reach each other, they hear Shippou say, "Sango, Miroku, Sesshoumaru finally woke up. He is requesting that we bring broth for Kagome. He is going to try and wake her so she can eat."

Sango is happy that her sister is finally waking up. They hurry back to Kaede's hut as Sango gets the tea that Kaede told her to give Kagome when she is finally awake. She has some broth on the fire as well. She got a cup of the broth and made her way to the hut.

When Sango enters, she is happy to see her sister finally awake, she walks over to her and hands her the tea that Kaede wanted her to have. She hears Kagome's question and answers, "Oh this is nothing. There were some Youkai in the area that wanted the jewel shards that you are wearing. Miroku and I convinced them that they didn't need the jewel. They are gone now so there is no danger to the village.

"Kaede wants you to drink this tea. It is supposed to make you recover faster once you woke up from your sleep. You gave us all a scare. How are you feeling?"

Kagome took the tea that Sango offered her and slowly drinks it. She is starting to feel better when she hears how Sango was injured. When she finishes her tea, she is feeling better, she is then given the broth to drink next. While Kagome is drinking her broth, she asks, "Has there been many attacks against the village because of the jewel shards?"

Sango thought about how to answer that question. She did not want to tell her sister the truth but she sees no way around this particular question, "There have been three attacks since you have been back. It is nothing that the monk and I can't handle, so don't worry. All I want is for you to get better."

Kagome understands her sister, "All right Sango, can you find my bag for me? I need a bath and to visit a bush somewhere. Do you want to join me in the hot springs for a while?" Sango laughed, she gets up and goes to the corner of the hut, where her bag is located. She agrees to accompany her to the hot spring as she grabs a fresh kimono to wear. She also has a juban for Kagome so she could cover herself more than just the bandage.

Kagome puts on the juban, saying her thanks to Sango, when she turns her attention to Sesshoumaru, "Sesshoumaru I will be going to the hot springs to bathe. I will return shortly."

Sesshoumaru was watching his little miko and she seems to be getting stronger. He hears when she asks the slayer for her bag and what she is going to do. So, when she addressed him he states in a regal voice, "All right miko, this Sesshoumaru will make sure that you are not disturbed."

Kagome smiles, she knows what he means, then she and Sango leave the hut to go to the hot springs. They are slowly making their way there while Kagome is watching Sango like a hawk. She is hurt badly and she feels bad about that. Sango should have not been hurt because of her.

They finally make it to the springs, Kagome puts her bag down and turns toward Sango. "Sango, I want to see your wounds."

Sango did not want to show Kagome her wounds. But the look on Kagome's features is one that said not to argue with her. She relents and starts to take off her kimono. She winces in pain when the final parts of her kimono come off and she finally gets a good look at her wounds.

Kagome sees Sango's wounds after she approaches her sister. She kneels in front of her and says, "You shouldn't have been hurt because of me. I should have been strong enough to be there to fight off the intruders. I'm sorry Sango I have not been a very good alpha if I let you get hurt."

Sango gets mad at her sister, "You are not responsible for this. You have protected this village countless times and have gotten hurt because of it. It is no different this time. It is my duty and honor to step in and protect this village. If I failed to protect this village, then I would have failed you as your pack member."

Kagome has tears running down her cheeks when she hears Sango's words. Sango made her proud by taking on her duties in her absence. Kagome takes a tear that is doing down her cheek and catches it on her finger. She holds it over Sango's wounds as it fell and hit her leg.

Sango's breath hitches when she feels the warmth that is spreading throughout her body. It is a soothing warmth when she feels all her pain going away. When she looks at her wounds they are all healed, she smiles and says, "Thank you Kagome."

Kagome smiles at her sister then proceeds to take off her clothes. Then they both go into the hot springs as they relax. They are both enjoying the nice warm water when Sango turns to Kagome and asks, "Kagome how is everything between you and Sesshoumaru? I mean he did follow you to your home where no one else can go through the well. Then he defended you against Inuyasha and Kikyou when you were hurt by her. To me it seems like he is interested in you."

Kagome sighs, she really did not want to answer this question but there have been no secrets between them, "I really don't know Sango. I thought that we were getting closer to each other but then he pushes me away. So, I guess that he isn't interested in me.

"I know deep down in my heart that he will never want someone like me. I'm nobody and I know that I'm not a worthy female in his eyes. He has rejected me twice now and I got his meaning. So, I won't get my hopes up. My goal is to complete the jewel so I can return him back to normal. After that I guess we will part company."

Sango is shocked to hear this. She thought for sure that Sesshoumaru has a real interest in her sister. She hears the hurt in Kagome's voice when she spoke of how he rejected her. "Did you not find the spell that will return him back to normal? I thought that you were going to check all of the scrolls that are in your shrine?"

Kagome rubs her forehead and proceeds to tell her about what her grandfather did with the scroll she needed. To say that Sango was shocked was an understatement. "But Kagome the ultimate sacrifice can be anything. It all depends on the person making the sacrifice."

"Yes, I know that Sango but without the piece of the scroll that my grandfather destroyed I have no way of knowing what this sacrifice is. I have racked my brains trying to find the answer to this problem but I have come up empty. We must complete the jewel for me to return Sesshoumaru back to normal. I have no choice in the matter. I'm bound by my word to help him and this is the only thing I have left that will reverse Naraku's spell." Kagome finishes her speech then she starts to wash herself. She needs to get back as soon as possible. If they stay out here much longer, then one… Sesshoumaru might come looking for them or two… Miroku will wind up dead for trying to peep on them.

Sango knows that her sister is hurting. She could see it in her eyes when she speaks about Sesshoumaru and how he rejected her. She knew that she was not getting the whole truth but she is determined to find out what is going on.

They both finish their bath when they get out of the water. Sango is feeling completely healed because she is moving with ease. They both get dressed then they go back to Kaede's hut. When they get there, they find that Miroku is sitting down by the fire and he seems to be frozen to his spot. He did not dare move a muscle while he watches the females from his pack return.

Kagome thinks that Miroku looks out of character, so she looks around the area. She notices that Sesshoumaru is in a tree and his eyes are blood red. He did not look to happy, then she turns her attention towards Miroku and asks, "All right Miroku, what did you do?"

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sesshoumaru has proven that he can protect Kagome when he has too. He did a pretty good job against his brother and Kikyou. He has a way of reaching Kagome and getting her to do what he wants.

Join me in the next chapter when we find out what Miroku did that has Sesshoumaru with red eyes. Kagome comes up with the prefect punishment for our dear monk and we shall see how he handles the punishment.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Sesshoumaru is following the little miko while she makes her way to the hot springs. The slayer is hurt and he knew that his miko is feeling guilty. He admires the slayer for protecting the village and her alpha when she is injured. It is the sign of a true pack member that will do anything to protect the pack.

Sesshoumaru slowly floats through the air and makes sure to keep his presence hidden from the little miko. He wants to make sure that the monk did not follow the females.

Sesshoumaru watches when his little miko heals the slayer. The slayers injuries are numerous and observes his little miko using her tears of healing. He notices when the females undress and go into the water. He hears when the slayer asks her questions about him.

Sesshoumaru is not prepared to hear the hurt in his mate's voice when she said that he rejected her as a female. That is far from the truth but he cannot do anything to protect her from other males if they decide to pursue their suit with his female. Plus, he could not give her a proper courting mark.

Sesshoumaru is devastated to learn that he has hurt her this bad. Yes, he is angry but not at the little miko. He is angry with Naraku for putting him through all of this. If Naraku had not put this curse on him then he would be free to tell the miko his feelings. Now she thought that he has rejected her as a potential mate and this did not please him at all.

At that moment Sesshoumaru caught movement off to the right when his eyes turn red. He will not be able to hear the rest of the miko's conversation with the slayer because the lecherous monk decided to make himself known. He jumps and lands right in front of the monk that is trying to peep on the females.

-oOo-

Miroku wants to watch the girls as they bathe. He thought that he would be cleaver and devises a devious plan. He leaves the village in the opposite direction that the girls are traveling. He made sure that they notice where he is going so all suspicion will be diverted from him.

He circles the village and is coming in from the back side of the hot springs. He is moving slowly so he will not make any noise, following the voices of his favorite females. He finally makes it to the bushes that conceal the hot springs, and lays down on his stomach, being as quiet as possible. He is about to part the bush in front of him when he sees Sesshoumaru land right in front of him.

The red of his eyes told Miroku everything he needs to know as Sesshoumaru's beast came forth. He is not happy to see him there and bares his fangs at him. Miroku made the most intelligent decision of his life when he gets up and runs back to the village. He notices that Sesshoumaru is following closely behind him, when he makes it back to Kaede's hut he sits down by the fire.

Miroku didn't dare move because it will set off the Youkai Lord. He has made the biggest mistake of his life and now Sesshoumaru is keeping a close eye on him. If he moves, he knew that he will be dead before the girls came back.

Miroku hears a noise and looks up, he notices that the girls were finally returning. He thought that now he will be free to move, but when he went to stand up he hears the Youkai Lord growling in his direction. Miroku quickly sits back down and doesn't move. Now he knew he was in trouble, once the girls find out what he did.

It did not take long for Kagome to figure out what was wrong when she asks Miroku her question.

Miroku is scared to answer Kagome. He knew that the girl's wrath will be worse than the Youkai Lord could ever give him. He hears a growl coming from behind that told him he better confess or it will be his death. Miroku sighs and hopes that the girls will understand that his hand is cursed and it is not his fault if he is lecherous. "Lord Sesshoumaru caught me by the hot springs and brought me back here. Now he refuses to let me get up or move."

Sango hears the monk and turns red with anger. "You mean to tell me that you went to peep on us when we have told you repeatedly not to follow us. Miroku I'm going to kill you!" 

Kagome grabs Sango by the arm and holds on to her angry friend. "Sango calm yourself it is not your place to punish Miroku. That task belongs to me." Sango calms when she hears Kagome's words. She is right, if Miroku is going to be punished then it is her right to do it.

Kagome turns toward Sesshoumaru, bowing deeply to him in respect, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I thank you for seeing to my privacy. I will see to the monk's punishment."

Sesshoumaru's eyes return to its normal color and watches his little female. He wants to see how she is going to punish the monk.

Kagome turns her attention to Miroku and he is very nervous about his punishment. Then she gets an idea on what type of punishment he should receive, "Miroku since you like watching women in the water so much then I have the perfect punishment for you. Tomorrow you will help the village women wash their garments in the river as your punishment.

"I don't mean, that you will go down there and observe them in what they are doing. You will be helping them wash their garments as punishment. And if I hear that your lecherous hand goes to forbidden territory then your punishment will be worse. Am I making myself clear on this?"

Miroku pales when he is told what his punishment is going to be. He did not relish the idea of helping the village women wash dirty garments. He sighs, he knows he is not going to be getting out of this, "Yes Lady Kagome, I understand fully. I will do my duty."

Kagome smiles then she turns and goes into the hut. She puts her bag away, grabs her bow and quiver, then turns to go toward the center of the village. She needs to talk to the head female that will be down at the river tomorrow. She wants to make sure that Miroku gets his punishment and she has just the right female in mind that will keep him on his toes.

Once Kagome finishes with her business she then heads into the forest. She needs some time alone and she is hoping to get it. She walks to the sacred tree, sits down and rests her tired body.

She closes her eyes and lets her powers spread through the area to make sure that no one is sneaking up on her. Imagine her surprise when she feels that Sesshoumaru is approaching her.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru watches his little miko dish out the punishment to the monk. He thinks that it is a fitting punishment for a male who likes to observe females in the water. Though these females will be dressed, performing the task of a female, is degrading for a male, no matter if they are ningen or Youkai.

Sesshoumaru is amused to say the least and continues to watch his female deal with the monk. He watches when she goes inside the hut and puts her bag away. She then she walks out with her bow and quiver. He is wondering where she is going and follows.

Sesshoumaru follows his miko to the center of the village. He finds her talking to an older female and she is explaining to her Miroku's punishment. The elder female laughs, then she tells his mate that she will make sure that Miroku works his little hands off come morning.

His little miko seems to be happy with that answer, then she makes her way into the forest. He follows her to make sure that she stays safe while she is heading towards the sacred tree.

Once she is settled against the tree he goes towards her so they could have some time together. He misses being next to her and floats down to her knee. He looks up and asks, "Miko are you feeling all right?"

Kagome opens her eyes. She smiles at Sesshoumaru for showing his concern for her well-being, "Yes I'm doing fine Sesshoumaru. I just have a headache."

Sesshoumaru sits down on her knee. He did something that is totally out of character for him and let his curiosity get the better of him. He starts a conversation with her, "Miko why did you choose that particular punishment for the monk?"

Kagome gets a mischievous grin on her face, then asks, "Sesshoumaru have you ever observed a female washing her family's garments?"

Sesshoumaru is confused on why she would ask him this question, while he shook his head no.

"Well when a female goes to wash her family's garments she goes down to the river. They take their kimono and bring it through their legs, then tie that piece of fabric to their obi to keep it from getting wet. Then they must squat down to wash their garments.

"That means that their ass is sticking up in the air as they do the task at hand. Miroku, on numerous occasions, has been caught watching these ladies doing their work. They have voiced their anger at him for watching them but he never stops what he is doing.

"In the morning, he will get to feel what that is like. The village females have agreed that they will do to him what he has done to them on numerous occasions. They will all sit there and watch him wash the garments with his ass in the air. All of the females can see him doing their work and giving him the same harassment that he will normally give them." Kagome finishes her reasoning while she watches the Youkai Lord with interest. He seems to have a small grin on his lips when she explains her actions.

Sesshoumaru was very amused when his little female dishes out her kind of justice. She is making the monk know what it is like to be constantly watched. He thought that it is a fitting punishment to the lecher and gives a chuckle. "Miko you are very mischievous. It is a fitting punishment for the lecher. Remind me to never get you mad at me."

Kagome laughs when she hears Sesshoumaru's assessment. He likes her idea as well. His last comment threw her for a loop, "You do not have to worry about me being angry with you. You will be the first to know. Even my pack has learned to get out of my way when my temper goes up. They have felt firsthand what it's like to feel my wrath."

They sit there and talk for a good portion of the night when Kagome hears, "Miko what is a prom?"

Kagome's eyebrows go up at his question, "Why do you want to know what a prom is?"

Sesshoumaru huffs, he is clearly irritated at having to explain why he wants to know. "This Sesshoumaru heard that male ask you to a prom. I would like to know what it is he asked you to do."

Kagome thought about how best to answer that question, when she came up with an idea, "Well a Prom is like a celebration that the young adults have to show that they are nearing the end of their initial schooling. It is a time for celebrating what we have accomplished.

"The students get dressed in formal attire and attend this event. The males will usually ask a female to go with them and they spend the night dancing. There is a meal that is offered during the night and the celebration usually last until the next morning.

"There is only one Prom in a life time so many go to the celebration. Unfortunately, this year I am not able to attend the celebration. I will not be graduating with the rest of my classmates since I have left my school to study combat training. The hunt for the jewel is taking a lot of my time so that's why I declined Hojo's offer to go to the Prom."

Sesshoumaru knew there was more to this but he will not press the issue with his little miko. "Is this the way that males court their females in your era?"

Kagome has no idea what he is thinking about but she answers his question. "In a way yes, if a male is interested in a female they will approach the female and ask them to go out on a date. This is when the male takes a female somewhere and tries to woo her. If the female is interested they continue to see each other.

"The ningen courtship is long compared to the Youkai one. The ningens will be courting for many seasons before the male will get the nerve to ask the female to mate with them. But the males in my era cannot be trusted. There are many that want to court a female just so they can mate them. Once he gets what he wants they leave the female.

"The values that are here in your era do not exist in mine. There are many males that will not stay true in their mating and will pursue other females while mated to another. So, the females of my era are more cautious around the males.

"The male that approached me, though handsome by my era's standards, wants me to court him. He has been interested for years now but I never felt that way about him. This is the first opportunity I had to tell him that I am not interested in courting him. It is time that he took interest in someone else."

Sesshoumaru now has a better understanding of what was going on when that male wanted to take his miko to the Prom. He also knew a little about how a ningen male goes about courting the female.

Youkai are different, they will pick their female based on instincts, their inner beast being the main reason that they have chosen said female. When they approach a female, they know that this is the female that they want to mate. When the courting starts, the male will do everything in his power to make the female feel special, they will take care of her, bring her food, provide her with kimono's, and give her a home to call her own. When the female is satisfied that the male is a good provider then they will mate.

This process does not take long, not like the seasons that his miko talks about. His guess is that that ningens cannot decide on a female because of their inferior senses. But he is curious about something and turns his attention back to his female. "Miko, what do you look for in a male?"

Now this question caught Kagome by surprise. "You know Sesshoumaru I have never really thought about that before. I guess I will want a male that is gentle with me. He must understand that I'm different from the rest of the females and treat me with respect. I must be able to trust him to stay true to me and not seek another female to warm his futon. I don't care what they look like. I don't care if they are rich or if they are poor, if they love me and I return that affection that is all that matters."

Then Kagome decided to turn the question back on Sesshoumaru, "What do you look for in a female Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru thought about the miko's question, "This Sesshoumaru looks for a female that will be a wonderful mother to Rin. Rin is getting to the age that she will need female guidance.

"This Sesshoumaru also looks for a female that is loyal, powerful, independent, and caring. She must be able to stand on her own and if challenged she must be willing to fight to stay by this Sesshoumaru's side.

"This Sesshoumaru also looks for a female that can provide him with an heir. My lands need an heir for it to stay in my family. Plus, the female must be Youkai to provide me with such. Youkai law dictates that the heir must be Youkai or I will risk losing my father's lands. Any other offspring of this Sesshoumaru will not be accepted by the other Youkai Lords of the lands if it is not full blooded."

This caught Kagome by surprise. She now has her answer, there is no way she will be able to be his mate. She is ningen and any children she has will be hanyou if she mated him. This news hit her hard as the pain in her heart grew even more.

Kagome looks at Sesshoumaru and the expression on his features caught her off guard. She saw the regret in his eyes and there was also pain in them. He did not want to tell her this but since she asked he answered her question truthfully. It may be law that he must have a Youkai heir but that is not the way his heart feels. She took in a deep breath as she let it out slowly to calm herself.

When she was sure that she has her control back she reaches over and picks Sesshoumaru up. She brings him under her chin as she holds him close to her. Her fingers were going around in circles on his back trying to comfort him. She knew that he is trying to find the answer to his problems so he could have what he wants.

She rocks back and forth as she states in a low and breaking voice, "I'm sure that you will find the female that you are looking for. She is bound to be out there for you. All you must do is look for her. Your laws may be outdated but you are Lord to your lands and as a Lord you should be able to amend any law to suit your needs. If your heart yearns for someone go after them because when everything is said and done she might not be there for you.

"But I do understand that you are having issues because you are this size. It's preventing you from acting on your feelings. When we complete the jewel, I will return you to normal so you can find your female. Let Maru guide you in your search, I know that he is very smart and he will pick the best female for you."

Sesshoumaru is surprised that his miko is showing him affection. It is the first time that he has ever felt her touching him in this manner. Yes, she has shown his inner Inu affection but he has never received anything from her. He likes this feeling that she is instilling in his body.

Sesshoumaru hears everything that the miko is saying. She did have a point. He is Lord of the lands and he can change any law that he deems unreasonable. He can take his female once he is normal again. He could not wait for that day to come.

His tail comes up as it encircles the little miko's neck nuzzling her. It is a feeling that he could not describe and he has a feeling that she knows of his dilemma.

Kagome looks up to the sky as she looks at the moon. It is almost the new moon and it is time that they leave to find the rest of the jewel shards. "Come let us go back. The new moon is tomorrow night and we leave in the morning to continue hunting the shards of the jewel. It will give us a day's head start on Inuyasha and we can be a long distance away from the village before he is back to normal again."

Sesshoumaru understands what the little miko is saying. He knows that Inuyasha time of vulnerability is on the night of the new moon and it would be the perfect opportunity for them to get a head start on the hanyou. He agrees, he moves to her shoulder and sits close to her neck.

Kagome gets up and goes back to the village. She knew that Sango will be worried about her, she has been gone for a while now and needs to return. When she got back to Kaede's hut she sees Sango sitting outside waiting for her.

Miroku is on the other side of the fire behaving himself for once. He has no hand prints on his face so he is not being lecherous. She gave an internal chuckle. All it took for Miroku to behave is to have a very angry Daiyoukai after him.

When Kagome finally reaches the hut, she sits down by the fire. Sango immediately gets her some stew to eat. She thanks Sango for the food when she notices that she gives Sesshoumaru some food as well. She is happy to see that Sango is learning how to behave around the Youkai Lord. She must be taking some lessons from Shippou.

Thinking about her kit Kagome looks around the area for him, when she did not see him she asks, "Sango where is Shippou?"

Sango is wiping her hands on a cloth when she hears Kagome's question, "Shippou went to bed. He was so tired that he fell asleep out here in my arms. I put him inside in your sleeping bag. I hope you don't mind. But he has been sleeping in it since you have been gone. It gives him some comfort since it does have your scent on it."

Kagome smiles when she hears that her son will sleep in her sleeping bag, to receive comfort from her scent, "No I don't mind. I was just worried about him that's all. Thank you for taking care of him.

"Tomorrow after Miroku finishes his punishment we will be moving again. It's the night of the new moon and we can use the extra time to get a head start on Inuyasha. I want you all to be aware that he will be following us while we travel. Kikyou can't sense the shards as well as I can so they will be close. Be prepared for anything and we must ensure that Shippou stays safe. I don't want him getting hurt by Inuyasha again."

Everyone understands when Miroku asks, "In which direction will we be heading when we leave?"

Kagome looks towards the west, she is sensing a shard in that direction. "We will be heading west. There is at least one shard there and we need to get it before Naraku."

Everyone now knew where they were going and what they need to do. They will have to get everything ready in the morning and then leave before noon. This way they will be far enough away from the village before they must stop for the night.

Kaede came back as they are all talking. She notices right away that Kagome is in pain, she walks into her hut and gets some herbs for a tea. She grabs a pot and then fills it with some water, putting the herbs in the water. When they were done cooking, she took some of the tea and gives it to Kagome.

Kagome's eyebrow furrows together in confusion, "Kaede why are you giving me this tea?"

Kaede turns her attention to the young miko and states, "You are in pain child, the knife that sister Kikyou embedded in your shoulder had a powerful spell on it and it wanted to kill you. You still have some residual left from that spell and this tea will help you to recover. I know for a fact that you have a big headache because I can tell that you are not focusing on what is being said."

Kagome rubs her forehead. Kaede is right she has this tremendous headache and she is not focusing on anything. She takes the tea from Kaede and drinks it. Her head starts to feel better but she is also getting very sleepy. She excuses herself from everyone while she goes to lay down.

Kagome slowly gets up and stumbles. She catches herself, straightens up once more and then starts walking towards the hut. She is walking like she is drunk and staggers from side to side. Finally, her hand makes contact with the hut, she uses the hut as something to lean on and walks in. She finally makes it to the mat that she was laying on earlier in the day, she lays down and immediately falls asleep.

Sesshoumaru notices the way his miko is acting, he knows that the old one did something to his little miko, his beast is upset at this turn of events, he turns towards the old one and asks with a snarl, "Old one what did you give the miko? Why is she acting this way?"

Kaede turns her only eye towards the Youkai Lord and explains what she did, "The tea I gave Kagome will take away her pain but it will also put her to sleep. She needs sleep to help her heal. I know Kagome well enough that she will never rest on her own. Sometimes we must force her to rest. It's the only thing that we can do to take care of her since she won't do it on her own."

Sesshoumaru calms down when he hears the old miko speak. She is only looking after his miko's health and he is grateful that they paid so much attention to her. He did notice this about his miko. She never took care of herself the way she took care of everyone else. He must pay closer attention to her and make sure that she stays healthy.

Sesshoumaru gets up from his place and follows the miko inside the hut. He finds her sleeping on her mat and goes over to her. Looking at his miko, eyes softening, he gazes upon her sleeping form. His hand moves to her cheek while he gently caresses her. Then he moves closer to her and rubs his cheek against hers, his beast finally having a chance growls gently and let's just one word escape his lips, _**"Mine."**_

Sesshoumaru pulls away from his miko when he notices that she is moving. He thought that she is waking up but she just continues to sleep. The next thing he feels is a small hand going around his waist while he is pulled closer to the sleeping miko.

Kagome is sleeping on her mat when her subconscious mind reacts to Sesshoumaru's claim. She reaches out with her hand and brings him closer to her neck. She sets him down next to her when her arm comes up to cover him from view. She continues sleeping as a low growl comes out of her throat to sooth the Youkai Lord. Then he hears her whisper, _"Yours,"_ under her breath while she sleeps.

Sesshoumaru is completely taken by surprise by the miko's movement. He never thought that she would grab him like she did, then to be placed on the pillow that is under her head. At that moment, she did something that is unexpected, she growls low and gentle. She is acting like an Inu bitch that knows her mate is worried about her.

When he hears her whisper that she belongs to him, his beast is jumping for joy. She has acknowledged that she is theirs and now he will never give up his claim on her. She belongs to him and he will protect what is his.

Sesshoumaru shifts and rolls over on his side. He moves closer to his miko while his head is nestled against her neck. Her scent surrounded his body as Sesshoumaru begins to relax. Soon he falls asleep in the miko's arms while he is hidden from view.

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku finish cleaning the outside when they decide to go to bed. The next day is going to be busy as they will start their journey once again. They both enter Kaede's hut then look around. They notice that Kagome is sleeping in a corner of the hut, but they did not see the Youkai Lord.

This is strange since they both observe when Sesshoumaru went after their friend but they never see him leave the hut. They both thought that maybe they have just missed his departure since he is so small. He could go anywhere he wants and no one will see him.

They both yawn and go to bed. Sango is lying down near Kagome with Kirara right next to her and Miroku thought that he should take his place across from the girls just in case Sesshoumaru shows up. He did not want to anger the Youkai Lord any more than he has already.

They all fall asleep as the night is a quiet one. Sometime in the middle of the night Kagome's aura starts to get stronger. You could see ribbons of pink and blue going around her body as it moves with grace and beauty. Then red and gold ribbons join them as they are twisting and going around each other.

Sesshoumaru's aura starts to react to the little miko's aura as it came forth in all its glory. It moves with ease as it gently caresses that of the miko. When Kagome aura increases it also causes Sesshoumaru aura to match hers. So, they are both surrounded by the others aura as it is slowly merging together.

No one else in the hut notices what is going on because they were all sleeping.

 _ **\- DREAM -**_

Sesshoumaru wakes up in the middle of a clearing. He opens his eyes to see that the sun is already out and it is high in the sky. He has no idea how he got here. The last thing he remembers is that he goes to sleep with the miko on her mat. He notices right away that the miko is gone from his side when he quickly sits up and looks for her.

His eyebrows furrow together when he notices that he is in his normal form. He stands, his impressive height towers above everything, while he is looking around the clearing. The first thing he notices is all the flowers that are there. His Rin would enjoy this place while he walks and looks around area. He needs to find his miko while he sniffs the air.

Then the wind shifts as it brings the wonderful scent of Lavender with a hint of a powerful storm. He follows the alluring scent when he finds his female in the middle of a clearing picking flowers.

He notices the joy in her eyes when she brings a blossom close to her nose to smell its fragrance. She didn't seem to notice him, so he decides to walk over to her location. He is almost there when she turns and looks at him.

-oOo-

Kagome wakes up in the middle of this field of flowers. She has never seen this place before while she is slowly getting up from the ground. She looks around the area and notices that she is alone. She is wondering where everyone else is located.

She thought that she fell asleep in Kaede's hut and when she woke up she found herself here, among the flowers. She shrugs her shoulders; she will pick flowers for a little while and then try to find her pack.

She walks around for a little while observing this beautiful place, it is perfect in her eyes. The wind blew gently through the area; the birds were singing their song while they search for food to feed their family. Then she comes upon these wonderful flowers, she couldn't help but stop. They smell heavenly to her senses then she bends down to pick some.

She has a few flowers in her hands when she picks a red one. She closes her eyes and takes in its wonderful scent. It smells sweet to her, a mix of many flowers in one, the fragrance it gives off relaxes her mind. Then she senses that a Youkai is coming near her, she gets up and searches for the intruder. Imagine her surprise when she sees Sesshoumaru walking towards her. A big smile comes to her features when she notices that he is back to normal once more, she drops the flowers from her hands and then rushes to his side.

Sesshoumaru sees the biggest smile he has ever seen on the miko's face when she starts running towards his person. He opens his arms and she crashes into his body. Lowering his arms to embrace her he brings her closer to his chest.

Sesshoumaru's eyes closes when he feels her body against his. This is the most amazing feeling he has ever had and he never wants to let go. Her scent is still as soothing as it was before. He rubs his nose on the top of her head and growls gently.

At this moment in time he didn't care where he was, the only thing that matters to him is the little female that he has in his arms. He is feeling happy for the first time in his life while his arms continue to hold her and his hand is gently rubbing her back.

They stand there for the longest time, just enjoying each other's embrace. The warmth of their body is soothing to each of them. Soon they both pull apart from each other as they look into each other's eyes.

Sesshoumaru could not believe the joy he is seeing in the miko's eyes. They are a bright blue and hold much love in them. He brings his hand up and caresses her cheek. Seeing her eyes close at his touch, he enjoys this moment of silence with her. He growls and states, "This Sesshoumaru has been waiting to return to his normal size. He wishes to ask you a question miko."

Kagome opens her eyes and looks at Sesshoumaru. He is finally back to normal and she did not know how this is even possible. She is happy to see him this way while she listens to his words. She nods her head to indicate that he could ask his question. She could not speak at the moment; she is too afraid to say something to spoil the moment that she was sharing with him.

"This Sesshoumaru humbly request permission to court you miko. You have proven yourself to be a powerful female, and you will honor me if you were to accept my offer."

Kagome's eyes open wide. She never thought in a million years that he will ask her to be his mate. She is shocked out of her mind and nods her consent to be his mate. She smiles beautifully saying, "I would be honored to be your mate Sesshoumaru."

At that moment in time nothing seems to matter to Sesshoumaru. He could care less about the Youkai laws that states he needs a pure-blooded heir. He did not care what the other Youkai Lords thought about his mate. All he knows is that she is his match and he will have her for a mate.

Sesshoumaru leans down and gently kisses her neck. He pulls her kimono off to the side while he is gently caressing the spot between the neck and shoulder. He numbs the area as much as he can, so she will not be in too much pain. Taking a deep breath, he then bites into Kagome's neck.

A rush of power overcame both their beings as their auras encircle their bodies. The wind is blowing fiercely as it whips around them. He tastes blood, pure, sweet, and innocent that is laced with power. Powerful blood that he craves… no yearns for. He embeds a small part of his youki into her body and releases a small amount of poison to make the mark scar. When he is done, he pulls his fangs away from her skin and licks her wounds clean. Within minutes the wound is healed then he pulls the miko into his arms and sits down with her in his lap.

They stayed there for hours, just cuddling with each other. He is content just holding his soon to be little mate, while rocking his body back and forth, soothing her as she sleeps in his arms.

 _ **-END OF DREAM-**_

The next morning Kagome is the first to stir. Her mind starts to wake and the first thing that she notices is that she is lying down. She thought that she fell asleep in Sesshoumaru's arms cuddled into his chest. The warmth of his body is gone from hers, so she moves to see if she could find it.

She finds nothing while her breathing increases indicating that she is waking quickly. She slowly opens her eyes as they come into focus. She notices that she is back in Kaede's hut. Her eyebrows furrow together in confusion. _'I thought that Sesshoumaru was back to normal? Where is he? Did he just bring me back here and then leave?'_

Kagome is confused. She didn't know what is real and what is not. She moves her hand to her neck to see if she has a mark there. She finds… nothing. _'It…it… it was… a dream?'_

Kagome is clearly upset; it was only a dream and it's not real. Sesshoumaru is not back to normal and he did not ask her to be his mate. Tears start forming in her eyes when she feels something moving near her neck. She hears a gentle growl and knows that it is Sesshoumaru. She did not want to talk to him right now, she gets herself back together and starts to get up.

Sesshoumaru stirs when he feels his miko moving. He could smell her upset and is wondering why she is almost in tears. He opens his eyes when he notices that he is back in his small form. He thought that he was back to his normal size. He asked his miko to let him court her and she consented. He remembers marking her and he can still taste her blood on his lips. He didn't know what is going on but he is bound and determined to find out.

He moves away from the miko when she sits up on the mat she is sleeping on. He notices that the others that are in the hut were still sleeping. He forms his cloud under his feet and floats up to face the miko. He sees the unshed tears in her eyes and asks, "Miko are you all right? Is something wrong?"

Kagome could not look at Sesshoumaru. She needs time to herself when she grabs her bag and gets up, dodging Sesshoumaru's form that is floating in front of her. She hears his questions while she answers, "I'm fine Sesshoumaru. I just need some time alone. I need to think about some things and come to terms with what is happening. Please allow me the time that I need."

Sesshoumaru hears her words and agrees to give her the time she needs to recover.

Kagome is going to the hot springs. It is the only place where she could go and think, while she tries to relax. Too many things have happened to her and she is so confused. She looks up at the sky and notices that the sun will soon rise. It is the perfect time for her to think and mediate.

She finally makes it to the hot springs, it is so peaceful here. She starts to relax while she spreads her aura around the area to make sure that she is alone. She did not need anything to come and attack her when she is feeling like this. She finds that the area is clear and puts her barrier around the hot springs. This will ensure her safety while she starts to take off her clothes.

Kagome gathers her bathing supplies and puts them down near the edge of the spring. She slowly walks into the water then she sighs in contentment. The water is unusually warm this morning but to her it feels like heaven. She goes under the water to get herself wet, then she surfaces and wipes the water away from her face. She decides to take her bath first, that way when she is done she can just relax for as long as she wants.

She washes her hair and then her body. She goes under the water to get the soap off her. Once she is satisfied that she is soap free she goes near the edge of the spring to relax.

Kagome thinks about the dream she had. It was so real to her that she thought that Sesshoumaru was back to normal. It was the happiest she has ever felt when he asked her to let him court her. When he marked her, it sent her arousal through the roof and she unleashed her passion for him.

But more importantly she was enjoying herself for the first time in years while he held her in his arms. He allowed her to cuddle into his chest while he growls to soothe her. She has never felt like this before and she liked it.

Kagome has a thought, she reaches for her things and finds her hand-held mirror. She opens it as she points it towards her neck so she could look at it. There is no mark. Her skin was normal and she did not see any fang marks.

Kagome is falling into a deep depression. She remembers Sesshoumaru's strong arms around her body when he held her. He loves to cuddle it seems because he held her close to his body.

Then Kagome snaps out of her depressing thoughts, _'It is only a dream, a dream of what could happen when the jewel is finally complete. It is the first time since I have been coming here to the feudal era that I felt happy. It felt wonderful to be held in his arms and feeling the love that he has for me. Even though he is small I can still have my time with him. Yes, he can't hold me the way I want him to but within time he will, I just know he will.'_

Kagome's mood lightens a lot after she has some time to think things through. Yes, she is disappointed but it gives her heart hope, then she gets out of the water and starts to dry herself.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru watches when his miko leaves the hut. He knew where she is going. She usually bathes when she wants to think and that is where she is heading. He must admit that he is confused as well. He thought everything he experienced last night was real.

He forms his youki cloud under his feet and leaves the hut. He is going after his miko to make sure that she stays safe. He is always worried that another Youkai will attack her when she is indisposed.

Sesshoumaru floats through the air while he follows his miko. When she reaches the hot springs, he perches himself on a high branch that will give him a clear view of the surrounding area along with his miko.

He observes when she spreads her aura throughout the area, being satisfied that there is no threat in the area she puts her barrier up. He then watches while she disrobes and goes into the springs.

She is beautiful in his eyes. Her shapely body and well-toned muscles make her look like a celestial being. Sesshoumaru watches her while she bathes and when she is done she sits in the water thinking. He catches the scent of her tears while she is crying. He did not understand why she is crying. Until he sees her pull what he knows is a mirror out of her things and looks at her shoulder.

Sesshoumaru notices when she inspects every inch of her shoulders. He did not understand why she was doing this. _'Did she have the same dream as this Sesshoumaru? Is this why she is looking for something on her shoulder? Could she be looking for the mark I placed there last night?'_ There are so many questions that he cannot answer and he knew that the little miko will not tell him why she is so upset.

When she is done, her anger grows. Now she is angry and throws the mirror on the ground. She turns and wraps her arms around her knees while she sits and thinks about what is bothering her. Slowly her demeanor changes when she grows sadder and sadder. He thought that she will never snap out of her depression when he notices that she shakes her head and calms down.

His little miko must have come to a decision because her attitude changes and she seems happier for some reason. He is elated that she is not crying anymore while she sits and relaxes in the water.

Sesshoumaru sits back in his tree and thinks about what happened last night. It must have been a dream but it seems so real to him. He held his miko in his arms last night while he hugs her to his body. He asked her to let him court her and she agreed right away. His little miko did not even hesitate in her answer.

He was holding her in his arms while he got the area ready for his mark. When it was prepared, he bit into her neck and marked her. The strange thing is that he still tasted her blood on his pallet. If it was just a dream how could he have the miko's blood in his mouth? He noticed when she checked her neck and even he did not see any marks on her. Plus, he couldn't detect his youki that he imbedded into her body to let another Youkai know that she is being courted by him. He is just as confused as his female.

But as Sesshoumaru thought about that dream, that's when he realizes that the miko will accept him as a mate. Her actions down below, if she had the same dream as him, proves to him that she is receptive to the idea of being his mate. Clearly, she will not be this upset if she dreamed of something else. This gave him a certain measure of hope that she will accept his suit and become his.

Sesshoumaru looks back at his female and observes what she is doing. He watches when she dries every inch of her body. Her perky breasts were beautiful. They were the right size for his hands and the nipples were puckered and extended. The light cool breeze that was blowing through the area made them that way while he watches with heated eyes.

Sesshoumaru's arousal went through the roof when he observes his little miko bending down. Her lovely rump was sticking up in the air while she looks for something in her bag.

Sesshoumaru's beast starts to give him images of what they could be doing to that wonderful body. He sees himself approaching her from behind, he grabs her by the hips, and takes her to new heights of ecstasy. He could just hear his little mate screaming his name for everyone to hear.

Sesshoumaru shook his head to get rid of that image. His beast wants a mating but there is nothing he can do to mate her at this point. He needs to get back to his normal size before he could even take her. His manhood is not big enough to give her pleasure. He growls, who would have thought that he Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, would not have a member big enough to satisfy a female. That thought did not sit well with him.

Sesshoumaru continues to watch his little miko while his beast just shows him images of what he wants to do to her. By the time his beast is done he is breathing hard and couldn't believe he did that.

-oOo-

Finally, after a few minutes Sesshoumaru's breathing evens out. He shook his hand and slowly sits up. He did not want to get his kimono all dirty when he stands on his feet. He ties his hakama back up and fixes them. It will not do for anyone to know what he was been doing.

He leaps away from the tree and goes to the other side of the spring to get cleaned up. His hand was rather sticky when he bends down and washes them. He notices when the miko drops her barrier and gets up from his spot. He forms his Youkai cloud under his feet and takes off to where his miko is located.

He is making his way out of the forest when he spots his female. She is standing there looking at him with a huge smile on her face.

-oOo-

So now we know what Miroku did and his punishment for his actions. Kagome can be very creative when she is planning a punishment for the monk. Sesshoumaru was being naughty with his thoughts while he watches Kagome bathe.

Sorry everyone but yes there was a lime in this chapter and it was removed. FF does not allow such things on their sites anymore so I removed it. I really don't want this story to be taken down because someone complained about it. If you want to read the chapter in full then you can go to:

www. dokuga fanfiction/ story/ 10454/1

They have a MA rating and if you are under 18 don't go there. Just remember to remove the spaces. And Dokuga will be the only place you will be able to read the full mating of Kagome and Sesshoumaru. But that won't be for a while yet.

Join me in the next chapter when Sesshoumaru almost gets himself into trouble for what he was doing when Kagome notices some stains on his hakama's, and Miroku becomes inventive while he is doing laundry.

Until the next time!

Ja ni!


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Kagome drops her barrier and the minute she did she feels Sesshoumaru coming towards her. Her heart skips a beat when she sees him. He looks perfect when he comes floating over to her. She could not help the genuine smile that lit up her eyes when he stops in front of her.

Sesshoumaru looks at his miko, clearing his throat, "Miko, are you all right now?"

"Yes Sesshoumaru, I'm feeling much better now. Thank you for allowing me some time alone. Sometimes I need time to think things through and sort things in my mind. It helps to put things into perspective and I know in which direction I want to go." Kagome states as she looks at the Youkai Lord.

She notices something on his leg. His hakama is dirty and it looks like he has blood on them. She looks at his hair and notices how his immaculate kept hair was in disarray. "What happened to you Sesshoumaru? Have you been in a fight?"

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow went up in question not knowing what caused her to ask this question, "I have no idea what you are talking about miko."

Kagome huffs, clearly agitated at his response to her, "Your kimono is all dirty, you have blood on them and something else I can't identify, and your immaculate hair is in disarray. Something clearly happened to make you look like this." Kagome waits for the Youkai Lord to answer her questions and when it looks like she is going to be ignore she sighs deeply.

Kagome turns towards her bag and gets out her Victorian bathtub that she has let him use in her era. She goes over to the hot springs and fills it with some hot water. Placing the tub on the ground she finds three sticks that she can use. She takes a piece of twine from her bag and ties the top of the sticks with it, then she opens the sticks forming a tripod, placing a towel around the sticks, she has a private bath for Sesshoumaru, "You need to take a bath. I have put everything you need inside and I want those garments when you are out of them. They need to be cleaned and mended."

Sesshoumaru was clearly irritated that the miko was ordering him to take a bath. He looks down at his kimono to see what is wrong. To his surprise, he notices that he is dirty. His hakama has blood on his knees where he was kneeling on the branch. He even notices some stains from his organism when his cheeks flush red. _'Maybe it would be wise to listen to the miko for once and take a bath. That way I don't have to explain to the miko what those stains are.'_

Sesshoumaru looks up at his miko, "Very well miko, I will bathe if it will make you happy. But this Sesshoumaru is perfectly fine."

Kagome is shocked to hear that he is going to do as she wishes. Now she is wondering if there is anything wrong with Sesshoumaru to make him act this way. He never agrees to anything she wants. She notices when he lands on the ground and walks towards his private bath.

Sesshoumaru lands and moves to the area that the miko set up for him. He sees the look in her eyes and she is suspicious about his actions. He needs something to get her mind off what she is thinking about. He gets an idea and quickly enters the shelter she made for him while he disrobes. When he is done, he wraps his tail around his waist and took his kimono to the miko.

Kagome is waiting for Sesshoumaru to finish his bath when she looks down to see him walking out of the tent she made for him. Her cheeks flush red when she sees his almost naked body. His tail is wrapped around his waist but it left little to the imagination. He is perfect in her eyes when she hears him say, "I have brought you my kimono as you requested."

Kagome snaps out of her dirty thoughts about his body, she bends down and gets his kimono from him. She smiles a heartfelt smile that reaches her eyes, "Thank you, I will clean and fix these while you bathe. Let me know if you need anything."

Sesshoumaru nods his understanding and goes back to take his bath. When he turns his back on the miko a smile appears on his face. He has managed to snap the miko out of her suspicion about what he was doing and redirected her thoughts to his body. He could smell her arousal when she looks at him. He is satisfied with his diversion.

Sesshoumaru has everything he needs to bathe. The miko thought of everything for him and she left her soaps for his use. He gets into the big tub, as she calls it, and proceeds to take his bath. The water is perfect while he cleans his body of his earlier activities.

When he is done washing he leans back and rests his head on the edge of the tub. He closes his eyes while he thinks about his little miko. He is wondering what she was thinking about when her arousal spiked.

His beast is having his own ideas about what she was thinking about and shows his other half his ideas. The pictures were erotic to say the least. Sesshoumaru must push those images out of his mind because his problem is coming back and the miko is too close for him to relieve himself.

His body loves the idea that his beast is showing him. Sesshoumaru must resort to his own thoughts, and sends his beast shuttering back into his cage, while his manhood deflates and behaves itself. There is a time and a place for everything but now is not the time for his member to get hard.

He must admit that the sight of Jaken in a female kimono will make any manhood go limp. It is an ugly sight indeed.

Sesshoumaru opens his eyes and gets out of the water. It was getting cold so it is time for him to leave. He grabs the cloth that the miko left for him to get dry when he spots another kimono for him to wear.

He wonders how the miko got this kimono in here because he never noticed when she placed the garments inside the tent. He found a new fudoshi and puts it on. He looks at his new kimono when his eyes open wide. It is the most beautiful set of garments that he has ever seen.

The hakama is a dark blue and it fits his body perfectly. He ties the strings around his waist and then he looks at the juban. It is silver in color. The fabric is soft against his skin, he ties it in place, then came the haori. The haori was also a dark blue. It had a white line going around the bottom edge of the haori. The fabric also has golden crescent moons and silver stars that were all over the fabric. The collar of the haori has white Inu's going all the way down.

The sash he is to wear with this is black in color. It has a crescent moon in the middle of the sash and it told all who looked upon him that he is the Youkai Lord of the West. He put his swords in his sash when he is done dressing. He looks at his kimono and thought that his female has done a wonderful job making this for him.

He turns and walks out of the tent when he notices his little miko sitting there waiting for him.

Kagome came out of her thoughts when she sees Sesshoumaru walking out of the tent. He looks wonderful dressed in the kimono she made for him. Then she hears him say, "Miko, this kimono is beautiful. The finest kimono I have ever had the pleasure of wearing. You are going to have to teach my seamstress how to make my kimono like this. I will not settle for anything than the finest garments in the lands. With you designing my kimono I will be the envy of every Youkai."

Kagome blushed at his compliment. She didn't think that he would like her clothes so much. She smiles and asks, "May I brush your hair for you Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru's eye light up when she asks to groom him. He loves it when she brushes his hair and consents. He jumps on her knee and sits down with his back to her. He feels her gentle fingers take his hair as she brushes it out for him.

Kagome takes great care when she brushes Sesshoumaru's hair. She made sure to get all the tangles out of it and when she is done with his hair she brushes out his tail. She could hear him growling while she brushes his hair. He seems to like her attention to his hair and she will make it a point to do this often.

When she is done, she hears him growl his disapproval for stopping. She laughs, and tells him, "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru but we have to get going. We must leave today and I should go and check on Miroku. I must make sure that he is doing his punishment. I promise to brush your hair tonight when we stop for the evening."

Sesshoumaru is enjoying his grooming. His beast is in ecstasy while the little miko brushes his hair out. He is growling gently while she is making sure that his hair was taken care of but he starts to growl even more when she takes care of his tail.

His arousal spikes with each stroke of her brush. He didn't know how much longer he could hold out when she suddenly stops. He growls loudly his disapproval when he hears her words. He calms down when he agrees with her. The sooner they leave this village the better it is for him.

At least when they travel he could be with her without prying eyes. He detected the lecherous monk nearby and when he felt his jyaki he left the area in a hurry. That monk will never learn his lesson until he taught him one.

He stood up and turns towards the miko. She is busy putting away her brush when he notices how pink her cheeks were. He takes a deep breath and smells her arousal. It seems that she likes brushing his hair as much as he enjoys it. This could prove to be interesting when he let his mind wonder, thinking about the other things that they could do together.

Sesshoumaru notices when his miko is done, he jumps up onto her shoulder and moves closer to her, while his tail wraps itself around her neck. He is going to make sure that her cheeks stay flushed while they travel today.

Kagome could not control her blush. Her mind is having very dirty thoughts about Sesshoumaru and what she could do to him to keep him growling like he was. It didn't help when Sesshoumaru jumps up on her shoulder and his tail goes around her neck. His touch on already sensitive skin made her blush deeper. She must get control over herself or she will keep her blush all day. She cannot be like this while they travel.

Kagome turns her attention to the sky, she notices that the sun has long ago risen over the horizon. It is now mid-morning while she makes her way down to the river. She needs to check on Miroku to make sure he is doing what he is supposed to do.

As Kagome is making her way to the river she starts to sense the anger that is coming from there. She couldn't understand why the women of the village would be so angry when she finally makes it to the location where all the women are standing.

Kagome considered their eyes and notices how angry they are. She turns her attention to the river and what she sees makes her own anger climb when she looks at the monk. This is not what she was planning for him and makes her way down to the shore. She stops behind him and let her aura go. She sees the monk stop what he is doing, when he stands up and slowly turns around.

-oOo-

Miroku wakes up and observes that the sun is already up. He looks around the hut to see who is still sleeping. He scratches the back of his head, then stretches his tired body. He notices that his lovely Sango is still asleep. Kirara is still by her side and to touch her now would be his death because Kirara will protect his lovely lady to the death.

His eyes wonder around the hut, when he spots Shippou still sleeping in Kagome's sleeping bag. When he looks for Kagome he notices that she is gone from the hut. He did not see the Youkai Lord anywhere and wonders where they both went. He notices that Kagome's bag is missing and gets a lecherous grin on his face. _'Kagome's bag being gone means that she is bathing. I think that a trip down to the hot springs is in order.'_

Miroku gets up from his spot and quietly make his way towards the hot springs. The village is coming alive as everyone is getting up and starting their day. He greeted several ladies on his way down to the springs and quickly left the village. If he hurries, he will be able to catch Kagome bathing.

He has already seen her and his lovely Sango naked, it was a sight to behold. Those luxurious curves were beautiful along with those plump breast and shapely ass. They were both goddesses in his eyes. Miroku was in a world all his own. He starts to remember what the females of his pack look like naked and hurries on his way towards the hot springs.

He is slowly making his way there when suddenly he feels the jyaki of the Youkai Lord. It was powerful and he could feel the anger in his aura. Suddenly he didn't think it was a good idea to interrupt Kagome while she is bathing, he quickly turns and goes back towards the village.

When he gets back to the village the females are looking for him. Aiko the headman wife finally finds him, "Ah Miroku, it's time to head down towards the river. I do believe that the little miko has told you what you will be doing this morning?"

Miroku sighs. He is not looking forward to this. It is demeaning for a male to do females work but his punishment is set by his alpha and he must obey her commands. If he did not, his punishment will be worse, he is not afraid of Sesshoumaru, but he is afraid of Kagome. He has already felt her wrath and it is very painful. It took a week for him to recover from her anger, and it was not even him that her anger was directed to at the time.

Miroku shook his head and got rid of those thoughts, then he follows the headman wife toward the river.

When they arrive, all the village women are already down by the river and they were getting ready to wash their garments. These women get up early so they can fix their family a meal before they left to take care of the wash.

The women of the village see Aiko coming with Miroku. They start their cat calls when they walk by, "Hey Miroku you want to be the father to my child?" Another female said, "Hey Miroku nice ass." Some whistled, as another said, "Hey Miroku I bet Sango is really happy with you right now." That comment hurt, he was cringing from their verbal attack. The women observe Miroku getting embarrassed by what they are doing. It serves him right for making all those rude remarks to them when they are busy taking care of their families.

Miroku could not help the blush that came over his cheeks when he hears the village women make rude remarks towards him. Now he knew how they felt when he would do the same thing to them. They are very creative in the things they say but much of what they are saying, are the words that he himself spoke to them. He never thought that his words were this cruel.

He follows Aiko to the river and she shows him what he is going to be cleaning. Miroku nods his understanding, he puts his staff down on the ground and proceeds to bring his robes between his legs and attach them to his sash.

Once he is satisfied that his robes will not get wet, he then picks up the clothes and enters the water. The moment he bends down he hears the women start all over again with the name calling and rude remarks, and quickly stands up. He gets his blush under control and tries again. The moment he bends down again the remarks come back his way, but he continues with what he is doing.

Miroku was ignoring the women's cat calls when he starts washing the garments. He wasn't any good at this stuff and Aoki keeps telling him what he is doing wrong. The other women would hear what she is saying and they would tear into him all over again.

Finally, after about an hour he is getting the hang of washing garments. He would stand from time to time to give his back a break from being bent over. When he would bend down again, the females had their fun.

After another hour, he had enough of what the women are saying to him, he starts to swing his butt from side to side. If they were going to be calling to him they might as well have something to complain about.

He will move his ass up, down, and side to side. He was having fun teasing the females while he continues with what he is doing. What he is doing soon took over with a life of its own when his moves became erotic. He was showing the females just what he could be doing to them if they were in front of him with his movements.

He was having fun and getting aroused when he feels a powerful aura behind him. He has felt this aura before, he swallows hard, then he slowly stands and turns around. To his horror, Kagome is standing there with her arms crossed over her chest. The look on her face is an angry one and he pales.

Kagome is not happy. Imagine her surprise when she came to check on Miroku and found him performing lewd acts while the females from the village stood there in shock. He looked like he was humping the clothes he was washing while she watched his ass moving up and down.

She allows her aura to go over the area when she sees him stop and then slowly stand up. He turns and when he sees her he turns white as a ghost. She is happy that he knows that he is in trouble. She lets go of an angry growl and moves forward, entering the river.

Kagome walks right up to Miroku while he takes a step back in fright. She almost came toe to toe with him and said in a deadly voice that he has never heard her use before, "Miroku just what do you think you are doing? I send you down here as punishment and what you were doing is worse than letting your hand roam freely. What do you think I should do with you?"

Miroku's heart is beating fast when he sees Kagome approaching him. Her voice is quiet but deadly once he hears her questions. He swallows hard, hoping to appease her, "Kagome please, let me explain."

Miroku shut his mouth when he hears the vicious growl that she gave him. "No Miroku there is nothing to explain. What you did is uncalled for. You have no reason to be moving like that and embarrassing my pack because of your actions. If you continue down this road, then I will have no alternative but to banish you from the pack."

Miroku almost faints when he hears her words. He falls to his knees and pleads, "Please Kagome give me another chance. I give you my word that I will change. I will make you proud to have me in your pack."

Kagome listens to Miroku. He seems sincere about what he is saying but she is getting tired of dealing with his lecherous ways. She looks at him, with narrow eyes, "This will be the last time that I will correct you Miroku. If you step out of line again it will be your last. I'm not going to put up with you being a pervert. Learn to be respectable because if you hurt Sango anymore I will make sure that you never bare any children. Is that clear?"

Miroku is happy that Kagome was giving him another chance. He has no idea what he will do if he could not travel with them. He desperately wants to stay by Sango's side and if he steps out of line again he knew that it will be his fault for losing the most amazing person he has ever met. He agrees to her conditions and gets back to work.

Kagome watches while the monk thought about everything she said. The reality that he will lose Sango hit him hard. She sees determination in his eyes and gave her his word on changing his behavior. She just hopes that he is ready to behave because if he embarrassed her again he will be gone from her pack.

Kagome also notices that he was working faster so he could get done. She turns leaving him to his job and goes back to Kaede's hut.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru is sitting on his little miko's shoulder while she was making her way towards the river. When they got there his eyebrow went up when he sees what the monk is doing. He was about to growl when he hears his female give a vicious growl.

He is completely turned on by her behavior; she is acting just like an alpha bitch. He loves the way she is forceful with the monk. Her ultimatum to the monk is the action he expected when he sees the monk change his behavior.

The monk gave his mate his word that he will behave from now on and got back to work. When his female is satisfied with what the monk is doing, she turns and heads back toward the old miko's hut.

Sesshoumaru's tail moves closer to the little miko and gives her a squeeze. It was his way of telling her that he is proud of her actions and that she did well. Then he let his curiosity get the better of him, "Do you think that the monk has learned his lesson?"

Kagome hears what Sesshoumaru asked her and she responds, "I sure hope so, because if he doesn't then he will be out of this pack. I meant what I said and I will banish him from my pack if he is ever lecherous again. I know that he doesn't want to lose Sango as a potential mate so he will behave himself.

"I hated to do that but he didn't give me any other choice in the matter. The way he was acting is an embarrassment and I will not have it. He is to bring honor to this pack not disgrace it."

Sesshoumaru understood what his miko was saying. She is correct in her assumptions and if the monk was in his pack he would have banished him a long time ago. But he understood his female's reason for wanting to keep him in the pack. The monk is a powerful priest and he is an excellent fighter. He just hopes that he has learned his lesson this time around.

They finally make it back to Kaede's hut when they spot Sango outside making breakfast. When she finally gets to her sister she hears, "Have you seen Miroku? He was gone before I woke up and I was wondering if he wants anything to eat."

Kagome accepted the food from Sango, "I don't think he will be eating. He is down by the river doing his punishment. After breakfast, we need to get everything packed so we are ready to leave by the time Miroku gets here. I want to leave as soon as possible that way we can get a head start on Inuyasha."

Sango agrees with Kagome, she gave everyone else their food and they all sat down to eat. Once they are done eating they start to pack their bags with the things they will need. Even Sesshoumaru is helping them, he will cast his spell on a bag to shrink everything that is put in it. It made things easier for them to carry and they can take more stuff with them.

Just before the sun hit its zenith Miroku came back from his punishment. Aiko is following him while she goes and talks to the little miko. Miroku watches with worried eyes when he sees the two females talking to each other. When they are done talking Aiko leaves the area as Kagome approaches the group. "All right everyone, let's get moving. I want to get as far away from here as possible before we must stop for the night. Keep your senses open while we travel."

Kagome gets confirmation of her orders as the little group leaves Edo and starts heading west. Kagome is sensing a jewel shard in that area and they need to find it before Naraku did.

Kagome and her group are moving at a fast clip. They are not running but they are moving faster than they usually did. Shippou must ride on Miroku's shoulder because he couldn't keep up with their pace.

The group stays together as they move, by the time they stop for the night they are almost to the western boarders and they are tired. They make camp while Sango and Kagome got the meal ready.

Once Kagome is done eating she needs to go check the area. She leaves her pack and walks up to a high hill that will allow her to look over the lands. She could sense the jewel shard and they need to get to it. She estimates about a day and a half to get to the location of the jewel.

She scans the surrounding area and she did not feel Inuyasha anywhere near them. But that could mean nothing since Kikyou has a way of hiding their aura from her senses. She is going to depend a lot on Sesshoumaru.

Kagome's eyes continue to scan the area around them when she asks, "Sesshoumaru can you detect where Inuyasha is located? I'm not picking up anything and I'm wondering if Kikyou has blocked you as well."

"No, I am unable to find his location. They were traveling with us earlier in the day. They were keeping far enough away from us so that we wouldn't detect them but Inuyasha forgets that my senses are more powerful than his, even in this smaller form my senses are still powerful. They were attacked when we passed the last village by a group of Youkai and they have not caught up with us. I suspect that Inuyasha is in hiding this night." Sesshoumaru states in a regal voice from Kagome's shoulder.

Kagome listens to what Sesshoumaru is saying. She feels better knowing that they are nowhere near them but come morning he will be back to his normal hanyou self and will be traveling a lot faster.

Kagome sighs and rubs her forehead. It is going to be difficult for the next couple of days. With Inuyasha following them and the jewel shard in an area that she is not familiar with, it is not going to be easy to get.

She knows that Naraku's incarnations are also after the jewel and they must keep one step ahead of all their enemies.

Sesshoumaru notices the distress that his female is in, then he asks with concern in his voice, "Miko what is wrong?"

Kagome is snapped out of her thoughts when she hears Sesshoumaru's question. "It's going to be hard for the next couple of days. The jewel shard is in an area that I'm not familiar with. Plus, Inuyasha and Kikyou are following us trying to get to the shards before us. Naraku's incarnations are in the area as well. They are trying to find the jewel shards for Naraku. It's not going to be easy to find the jewel shards and keep all of our enemies away."

Sesshoumaru understands his little miko's dilemma. She is carrying a huge responsibility on her shoulders, "Worry not miko. This Sesshoumaru will help you as much as possible. We will deal with each threat separately as they come up. Our main concern is to get to the jewel shard first so that it's ours and no one else's."

Kagome understands what Sesshoumaru is saying and she calms down. It made no sense to worry about everything now. The threat is far enough away that she can still plan what she is going to do before they fight for the jewel. "You're correct Sesshoumaru. We have at least a day and a half to come up with a battle plan that will work to keep the jewel shard safe from Naraku and Inuyasha."

Sesshoumaru raises an eyebrow, "You can tell where it's located?"

"Yes, I can tell where it is and it will take us another day and a half to reach it. I'm positive that Kikyou will not be able to detect it because it's too well hidden. Naraku's incarnations will not be able to find it until we do. They can't detect it either.

"The only reason I can detect it is because it was a part of me for so long that it calls to me." Kagome then turns and goes back to her group. She did not want to leave them for any length of time. There are many Youkai in the area and she must make sure that a barrier is placed around her friends before they retire for the night.

-oOo-

They travel hard for the next day and a half. The Youkai that sensed them, are giving them a wide area of respect when they will move away from the little group. Every time a Youkai got close to her pack Kagome will flare her aura around the area. The Youkai will sense her power and back off. They let the little group travel through the area unhindered because they have an alpha that is very powerful.

As Kagome is getting closer to the shard, she could feel that it is tainted even darker than she has ever encountered in the past. She didn't like what she is sensing and it meant trouble for them.

They are all standing on top of a hill as they look down below. The jewel shard is in the little village in the valley. The village itself has a dark barrier around it, while Kagome tries to determine what is going on down below. This barrier is very evil. The jewel shard did not feel like the others they have recovered. This one, is beyond tainted. It is downright foul.

Miroku is standing next to Kagome when he notices the barrier that is around the village. He steps up next to Kagome and asks, "Lady Kagome can you see the barrier that is around this village?"

Kagome hears Miroku's concern about the barrier and continues to stare at it when she answers, "Yes, it is a very evil barrier and I'm at a loss as to why."

Kagome then turns her attention to Sesshoumaru, "Lord Sesshoumaru, is this village part of your lands?"

"Yes, this village sits on the border of the western lands and is part of my protection. Why are you asking?" Sesshoumaru replied while he waits for the little miko to answer his question.

Kagome continues to look at the village, "Can you tell me anything about this village? Is there a priest here?"

"This village is a ningen one. They have been a part of the western lands for generations. This village is peaceful. They have an elderly priest that is their protector when I am not around. Though he is powerful for a priest he has never been able to subdue me with his holy powers. You hold more power than he does miko." Sesshoumaru continues to look down at the village while he is perched on the miko's shoulder.

Kagome thought as much and it will explain what she is detecting down in the village. "Something has happened to this village. The barrier though powerful is tainted in a way that I have never seen before. I must get closer to it to determine what is going on. That barrier is preventing me from feeling what is wrong with the shard.

"We must be careful when we go down there. There is something wrong with the priest of this village and that's why the barrier is so tainted. If I must guess, he has turned into a dark priest and is using the shard to enhance his powers."

Everyone understands what Kagome is saying when they all start to walk closer to the village. But the closer they get the more it affects the Youkai of the group. Shippou is the first one to be affected since he is the youngest and did not know how to protect himself that well.

Shippou is walking behind his mother when he starts to feel sick. He stops in his tracks and says, "Mama?" and falls to the ground feeling weak and very tired.

Kagome hears when Shippou calls to her, she turns and notices that he is on the ground. She panics and runs towards her kit, yelling, "Shippou!" and picks him up from the ground. She could tell that the barrier is affecting him. She looks at Kirara and she could tell that it is affecting her but she could handle the dark aura a lot better than Shippou.

Kagome then checks on Sesshoumaru and notices that a barrier is surrounding his body as it protects him. He did not have a problem with the dark aura as the others in her pack did. She then turns her attention to the others, "Sango, Miroku we must leave Shippou and Kirara behind. The barrier around this village is almost the same as the barrier around Mount Hakurei. It could kill them and I think it will be best if they stay behind in a safe area."

Kagome turns to Kirara, "Kirara, I know you are trying your best to fight the effects of this barrier but I want you to stay behind and protect Shippou. I don't want to take you into an area that is going to harm you."

Kirara is disappointed, she wants to go along with the little miko but she knew that she is right. She gave a meow of understanding and transforms into her larger form, grabbing the kit from her alpha.

Kagome turns to Sesshoumaru, "Lord Sesshoumaru, I think that it would be best if you stay with Shippou and Kirara. This barrier is powerful enough to purify you and I want to keep you safe. Miroku, Sango, and I will go to the village and see about the jewel shard."

Sesshoumaru hears the miko's words and becomes agitated at her suggestion. "This Sesshoumaru will not stay behind. This barrier will not affect me as it did the others. Mount Hakurei did not affect me when one of the band of seven took Rin from me and I followed. So, this little barrier will do me no harm."

Kagome is not so sure that he will not be affected by the barrier. He is smaller now and this barrier is very powerful. She excuses herself from her companions and walks away from them. When she is sure that she is far enough away, that no one will hear her she stops and says, "Sesshoumaru I want you to stay behind. You are weaker than when you were at Mount Hakurei. This curse that you are under will prevent you from using all of your youki to protect yourself."

Sesshoumaru gets angry and forms his youki cloud under his feet, moving to face the miko. The look on his face told her that it is not going to be easy to make him stay behind. "Miko this Sesshoumaru will not be affected by this weak barrier. I have faced more powerful barriers than this and have managed very well. This Sesshoumaru will accompany you to this village."

"Sesshoumaru do you trust me as alpha?" Kagome crosses her arms over her chest while she waits for a reply.

Sesshoumaru raises an eyebrow in curiosity wondering why she is asking him this question, "Yes I do trust you miko, why?"

"Sesshoumaru then you have to understand that when I say something it's not to be taken lightly. I may keep things from my pack but the truth of the matter is that barrier is very powerful. It is stronger than Mount Hakurei and in your weaken state it can purify you. I want you to stay behind while I go retrieve the shards." Kagome is not going to back down from this request. She will get what she wants one way or another.

Sesshoumaru is not about to let her go anywhere that she could get hurt. "It matters not. This Sesshoumaru will still accompany you."

"Why won't you listen to me? Why do you want to come with me and put yourself in harm's way?" asked an exasperated Kagome.

Sesshoumaru anger grew when she talked to him in that manner, "Miko you will watch your tongue around this Sesshoumaru. I will come with you because the last time you left without me you were injured. I will not have you getting hurt because you are a stubborn female."

Oh, that was the wrong thing to say to Kagome, she maybe stubborn but not as much as the arrogant Youkai in front of her. She had enough, she knows that she will have to force the issue with him, she quickly reaches up and grabs Sesshoumaru in her hand. She lets her aura surround his body while she is slowly relaxing him.

Sesshoumaru was not expecting the female to grab him while he struggles in her grasp. He feels when her aura starts surrounding his body. He tries to fight but it is a losing battle. He fells unconscious in the miko's hands, then Kagome brings him closer to her chest.

Kagome holds on to Sesshoumaru and cuddles him into her neck, "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru. I hope that you will forgive me for doing this to you. But I can't allow anything to hurt you. If you go into that village I can't guarantee that I can protect you. Please understand my situation and allow me to do my duty." A tear ran down Kagome's cheek while she spoke to the unconscious Youkai Lord. When she is positive that he is completely under her spell she turns, and goes back to her friends.

Kagome places Sesshoumaru on Kirara's back and says to the fire neko, "Kirara, I trust that you can protect Sesshoumaru as well as you protect Shippou. I know that he is not going to be happy when he wakes up but I do hope to be done by then. Now go find a safe place to wait while we take care of this problem."

Kirara agrees, she moves off with Shippou and the Youkai Lord to a safe place. But Kirara knows that when the Youkai Lord wakes from his forced slumber he is going to be pissed. She did not want to be anywhere near him when he did.

Kagome watches when Kirara walks away with her charge. When she is far enough away she turns to her friends and states, "This is not going to be easy. I can feel what is going on and the priest of this village is the one creating this barrier with the help of a jewel shard."

Kagome gets an idea, she pulls her bag from her shoulder and starts looking for something. She finds some blank sutra paper and some ink. She takes her special pen and then starts to write down her spell. When she is done, she prays over the sutras in her hand and activates the spell. Then she gives one to each of her friends, the sutra is a protection spell to make sure her friends stay safe. Then she gets up off the ground and continues on her way towards the village.

The little group finally make it to the barrier. Kagome is looking at the barrier while she tries to determine the matrix of the barrier. She places her hand on it to see if she can get any information from it. The moment she touches the barrier the others notice the evil aura that is there.

Kagome feels when the evil aura is trying to take control of her. It is dark and powerful as it surrounds her. It is seeking to control her but she is not about to give up without a fight.

She concentrates on her powers and fights back. Her aura grows then she shoves the evil back and pulls her hand away from the barrier. She then takes the sutra that she made and cast her spell. She throws it at the barrier, her spell starts to battle the one on the barrier. Her spell wins and a hole is created through the barrier. Confident that her sutra will hold she walks thru the barrier followed closely by her friends.

Miroku notices how foul the air feels around this village. The evil has spread so much that it has taken over the entire village. They all start the long walk to the village keeping their senses open for any threats.

They are approaching the village when they notice three men running towards them. They stop and wait for the three men to reach their location. Kagome didn't like the look on their faces, it is one of great worry and she is wondering what is going on.

The three men come to an abrupt stop in front of them. They are out of breath when the one in the middle says, "Miko-sama, you must leave quickly. It is dangerous for you to be here. You must leave before the priest finds out that you are here in the village."

Kagome raises an eyebrow and asks, "I know that your priest is not acting like his usual self, can you tell me what has happened here to make him act this way?"

The man in the middle calms down, once he gets his breath back he answers, "About one moon ago a stranger came here to the village. He came looking for our priest Shou and we took him to the shrine. They were left alone and when the stranger left that's when we noticed that our priest was acting strange.

"He has a new staff with him that has a glowing red ball on top. We have never seen it before and when we asked where it came from he nearly snapped our heads off. Since that time no one can come into our village. No one can leave so we can't go out and hunt for our families. We have no idea why this is happening but we have tried our best to keep strangers from our village to protect them."

Kagome and the others hear what was going on in the village, when Miroku leans into Kagome's ear, "Kagome, what are the chances that this new staff holds the shards of the jewel? And do you think that Naraku has something to do with this?"

Kagome thought about Miroku's questions and replies, "I think that the possibility is very likely that he is the one behind all of this. We will need to find this Shou and see this staff for ourselves. We need to get this village back to normal so that they have enough time to harvest their crops. Soon it will be winter and the village will have no means to survive if they have no food."

Sango and Miroku agree with their friend while Miroku says, "We thank you for the information. We will seek out your priest Shou and see if we can return him to normal. Please, gather all the villagers and move as far away from the shrine as possible. What we are about to do is not going to be easy and we want to protect everyone as much as possible."

The three men look at the strangers in awe, "You are going to confront Shou?"

Miroku looks at the men and says with confidence, "Yes, we are going to confront him and see if we can return things to normal. We have a feeling what could be causing this and we will do everything in our power to return things to normal. But we must get everyone away from here before we try."

The three men are shocked to hear this but they are hopeful that the strangers will be able to set everything right. They agree as they turn and run back to the village. They quickly gather all the villagers and move them into the forest to be protected.

Kagome turns, "Miroku I need you to place a barrier by the forest. Make sure it's powerful enough to repeal any attack coming their way."

Miroku agrees and cast his barrier around the forest where the villagers are located. It will allow anyone still in the village to leave but will repeal any attack coming their way. He then turns towards the girls, he could feel a dark aura coming from the shrine, he has no idea what is going to happen but he is ready for anything.

Kagome looks towards the other side of the village when she spots the shrine up ahead. She could feel the tainted jewel shards, "Let's go. I want you two to be careful when we approach this priest. Something is not right about him and until I can determine what is wrong we will not be able to return him to normal."

The two by her side nod their agreement as they start walking towards the shrine. Something just did not feel right about this village and their answers lay ahead of them with the priest.

The small little group finally make it to the shrine when they stop at the entrance. Kagome closes her eyes and concentrates on what is inside. To her surprise she is not picking up on the priest presence. She could not feel his aura anywhere in the shrine, but what she is picking up is a Youkai, and a powerful one.

Kagome furrows her eyebrows together and tries to determine what kind of Youkai this is. She has never encountered this type of Youkai before. She let one-word slip from her lips when her friends hear what she says, "Youkai."

Miroku is confused by her statement, "Kagome are you sensing a Youkai here?"

"Yes, I can feel him inside the shrine. I don't detect the priest anywhere around the area so be on guard when we go in." Kagome states and starts to walk into the shrine.

Miroku and Sango quickly follow behind her, they have no idea what they will find inside this shrine but if Kagome says there are Youkai in here then it is true.

They all walk into the middle of the shrine with Kagome in the lead, Sango and Miroku are close behind her. They spot an old man sitting there on the ground.

They approach with caution, they didn't know if this was a trap, but they are not about to fall into one.

Kagome looks at the old man sitting in front of her, while her eyes wonder through the area. She did not detect anyone else in the shrine, she came to a stop in front of the old one.

Kagome's eyes open wide when she notices that his aura was off. _'So this is the Youkai that I have been sensing, he is a changeling, a shape shifter. No wonder I couldn't identify what kind of Youkai he is. He is a very rare breed. I don't want to kill him if I can help it. But if he attacks me or my friends I will have no choice.'_ She gives a hand signal to her friends, she told them that the Youkai is the one in front of them.

Both Miroku and Sango thought that Kagome has gone crazy. The person sitting in front of them is a ningen priest, at least he appears to be ningen. But they have learned through the years to trust her instincts because they are always right. They both look around the area, making sure that they keep watch, so they are not attacked.

Shou the old priest has been waiting for this wench to come to him. Naraku has promised him great wealth if he could deliver this bitch to him. He has no idea why he is interested in her. She looks like any other ningen wench in the area.

He sees her walking into the shrine. He feels no power coming from her and she is being followed by another female and a male. What catches his attentions is that her eyes are blue. He has never seen a ningen female with blue eyes.

He came here over a moon ago and took over the duties for the ningen priest. It was easy for him to shift his appearance to look like someone else. After his quick battle with the priest of this village and killing him, he took on his appearance and has been running this village since that time.

Naraku told him to take over this village because it will bring a powerful female and the Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru. He sees the female but Lord Sesshoumaru is not with them. He narrows his eyes and thinks, _'Did Naraku trick me into thinking that this female is what he desires above all else? Where is the Youkai Lord that is supposed to be with her?'_ These questions and many more are plaguing his mind when he notices the little female stop a short distance away from him.

Kagome and her group stop while they observe the old man. He looks old, and laying across his lap is a staff that has a red ball on top. The ball is being held in what could be described as fingers.

Kagome concentrates on the ball when her eyes open wide with what she detected. Kagome could feel the old priest soul in the red ball and the jewel shards are holding it in place. This Youkai could use the priest powers, the shards magnify his holy powers and turned it dark. That's why the barrier will purify any Youkai that come close to his village.

Kagome could see right into the red ball to see that it contains not one but four jewel shards. This is going to be harder than she thought. She thought for a few seconds then she starts moving her hands very rapidly.

Kagome has taught her friends how to use sign language years ago. She will use it when she did not want to speak out loud. It is a good way to keep everyone informed about what is going on while she signs to her friends her observations.

Sango notices that Kagome is using her sign language to talk to them. She is paying close attention to what she is saying when her sister told her what happened to the priest. She is amazed that this fake priest has four jewel shards. But worst of all she looks up at Miroku when she sees how grim he looks. The priest is dead and his soul is being used for evil purposes. She knows that this is not going to be an easy battle and prepares for the first attack.

The group stands back, they are waiting for the old one to acknowledge them. They are not disappointed when they hear him ask, "What can I do for you young ones?"

Kagome hears the true voice of the Youkai and took a step forward. She bows in respect to make sure that she did not give away that she knows the truth about him, "Good afternoon elder, we have come here to see if you can give us some information. We are seeking information on the shards of the Shikon no Tama. We are wondering if you have heard any stories that might indicate that there is a shard nearby."

Shou looks at the ningens in front of him. He needs to get them under his control and started to cast his spell. When he spoke, it was with a soothing voice that will put them under his control. "No young lady I have not heard of any stories that indicate that there is a shard nearby. Why don't you sit down and stay for a while? I could use the company."

Kagome hears the magic in the old priest voice. It is powerful magic, then she notices when Miroku fights off the effects of the magic. But her friend Sango is not so lucky. She starts to move towards the priest when Miroku quickly pinches her ass. This brought Sango out of her trance when she turns heated eyes towards the monk.

Miroku, happy that his plan worked, gave Sango a signal with his eyes that indicated the Youkai is casting a spell on her. She understands his warning and is grateful that he acted so quickly to prevent her from going near the old man.

Kagome stands her ground, and replies, "No we will not be staying. I am curious though, where did you get that staff? It is very interesting."

Shou is surprised that his spell has no effect on the group in front of him. The little female in the front was not even fazed by his magic. He concentrates his powers on the female with the blue eyes and states, "Oh this? I got it from a stranger that passed by here over a moon ago. He said that it will enhance my spiritual powers and help me to protect my village. Why don't you come here and sit down? We can discuss this while we get comfortable."

This time his spell is even more powerful but Kagome's friends stood strong behind their miko, "No, I don't think so."

Shou did not know what to make out of all of this. This group of ningen is resisting his spell and he is not happy. He stands up with his staff and says in a powerful voice, "No is not an answer that I like hearing young lady, have you no manners?"

Kagome huffs at what the Youkai is saying to her, "Yes I have manners but they are reserved for those individuals that are not trying to control us. As you can see your spell will not work on us."

Shou became angry and said in a powerful voice, "Who are you?"

Kagome raises her hand and pulls her sword from her hair, then she gives her group a signal. Both Miroku and Sango get ready, "Who I am is of no concern to you. Just know that I want the jewel shards that you have. I cannot permit you to keep them if you are going to use them for your evil purpose."

Shou laughs at what this little ningen is saying to him, "What makes you think that you can take my jewel shards? I am more powerful than you think and I will be taking the ones around your neck." He raises his staff and attacks the group in front of him. He has a smile on his face, until he sees what the ningen did to his attack. Now his eyes are tainting red when his anger grew.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Good thing Sesshoumaru thought fast or Kagome would have figured out what he was up to. Miroku was very creative in the way he washes clothes.

I am sorry for the late post but things could not be helped. Life just gets in the way of things.

Join me in the next chapter when Kagome battles Shou for the Jewel shards, Kikyou and Inuyasha come back into the picture, and Naraku's minions decide to show up as well.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Kagome saw the attack coming her way and transforms her sword to its normal size. She swings her sword in front of her body, hitting the attack that was meant for them, and sent it towards the sky. A loud explosion is heard around the area when she destroys his attack away from the village.

Shou is surprised that this female could deflect his attack. "Bitch, you will submit to me as your superior. I have someone that is dying to meet you and I don't want to disappoint him."

Kagome gave a short laugh, "It will be a cold day in hell when I will let someone like you hand me over to Naraku. Now what I want to know is what have you done with the real Priest?"

The Youkai is taken by surprise that she knew he is not a ningen. There is no way that she could tell that he was a Youkai. "What makes you think that I'm not the real priest of this shrine?"

"Because you are a Youkai, a shape shifter, a rare Youkai among your own kind, now answer my question, where is the priest of this shrine?" Kagome is losing her patience with this Youkai. Her time is running out because soon Sesshoumaru will wake and he will come after her.

Shou is getting angry at the little female standing in front of him, who is she to demand answers from him, "Humph, a ningen such as yourself is not worthy of an answer to that question. If you are the female that Naraku wants so bad where is Lord Sesshoumaru? He is rumored to be traveling with you."

"I am not Lord Sesshoumaru's keeper. He goes where he wants and does as he pleases. Now I grow tired of these word games. If you will not tell me where the priest is then I will take the shards from you and be on my way. I grow tired of these questions." Kagome gets ready because she knows that the Youkai in front of her is going to attack.

But what she wanted to know more than anything is, why is he so interested in Sesshoumaru's location? Could they be after him again? Was it the right choice to leave him behind with Shippou and Kirara? She didn't have time to ponder these questions when the old priest attacks again.

Kagome and the others move quickly out of the way while Sango sent her Hiraikotsu towards the old man. She notices that the old man moves fast for a ningen when Miroku sends one of his ofuda towards him.

Miroku's ofuda hits the old man's staff just as he planned and sparks start flying over the area. He is trying to break the barrier around the staff so Kagome can get to the shards and release the old priest soul.

The Youkai screams in anger and shifts back to his normal form. He was ugly as far as Youkai went. He had no hair on top of his head, the only hair that was noticeable to the group were a few strands scattered over his bald head. His ears are pointier than most Youkai, they are bent downward at the point and it made him look like he has sagging ears. He had jagged teeth that varied in size and length in the front of his mouth.

Saliva is dripping from his mouth as it went down his chin to drop to the ground. His body was hunched over; his long arms were hanging along his side. He had very long claws that if they caught you, will tear you apart. He has a loin cloth going around his waist while his long legs and big feet told of his inability to move correctly. He gave an almighty roar while he challenged the female that Naraku wanted. "I have no idea why Naraku wants you, but you bitch… will pay for what you have done. Prepare to go to the afterlife."

The Youkai took the staff and called forth the powers of the jewel shards. He sent a blast towards the female that was being a thorn in his side.

Everyone saw the blast coming towards them, Miroku grabs Sango and cast a barrier around their bodies to protect them. Miroku knew that Kagome could handle the Youkai and he needed to concentrate on protecting Sango.

Kagome saw the blast that was coming towards her group. She felt when Miroku cast his barrier seconds before she put her own barrier up and brought forth her sword. She channels her powers into her blade and deflects the attack once more. But this time she did not hide her powers and let her aura grow.

Kagome turns towards her friends, "Miroku, Sango stay here out of the way. You will not be able to help me defeat this Youkai. Just watch my back and make sure that we are not attacked."

Sango was not happy with what Kagome just said to them, she wanted to help her retrieve the shards. Miroku, seeing that his lady love was in turmoil, tries to soothe her, "Sango, we must have faith that Kagome knows what she is doing. She is dealing with four tainted shards of the jewel and she is the only one that can defeat that Youkai and return the shards to normal." Sango did not like it but she agrees with Miroku. They stood there and watch the battle between Kagome and this Youkai because it was about to become more heated.

The Youkai eyes open wide when he saw the power that this female held. _'No wonder Naraku wants this female. She is the most powerful miko that I have ever met.'_ A smirk came over his face as he postures in front of the miko trying to lure her to his bed. "Miko you will submit to me as your alpha. You will become my mate and we will be the most powerful pair in the lands. We will be unstoppable."

Kagome is disgusted with that idea. There is no way she was going to consent to be his mate in this lifetime. "I don't think so. I submit to no male. What makes you think that you can defeat me?"

The Youkai licked his lips, he was already lusting after the little miko, "Ha! I know that I can defeat you. I was giving you a chance to submit to me and make things easier on yourself. But if you want to fight then I will defeat you in combat."

The Youkai moved with slow unsteady steps. His normal form made it difficult for him to move as he shifted his shape into something that was more mobile. He shifts into a mature Kitsune while his red hair went down to the back of his knees. He had one fox tail that was long and had a white tip. His eyes were green and he is very well built.

Kagome was shocked to see the form that this Youkai took. He almost looked like her Shippou if he was older. _'If this Youkai thinks that shifting into a Kitsune is going to stop me from defeating him he has another thing coming. It just makes me more determined to defeat him to keep my son safe.'_

Kagome moves, she is keeping her eyes on this Youkai. She didn't trust him and she kept her defenses up. She was watching him move when he attacks.

The Youkai was not about to let this delectable female go while he was watching her. He could tell that she was a warrior by the way she was standing and watching him. He felt his male ego grow and moved his body in a way to entice her. But all his efforts were in vain since the female showed no interest in him. This did not sit well with him; he took his staff and let a blast go.

Kagome saw the blast coming towards her and she leaps out of the way. She rolled and came up on one knee ready for the next attack. When Kagome rolled, she removed several of her stars from her obi and held them in her hand. The Youkai in front of her never noticed that she had them while he continued with his attacks.

Another blast came towards Kagome, she leaped up into the air and threw her stars. The stars moved so fast that they were not detected by the Youkai, when they hit him on his shoulder and leg. They contained her Reiryoku and she started to purify parts of his body.

The Youkai yelled in pain when he was hit. He looks down at his shoulder and that's when he saw the star that was imbedded there. He tries to remove the star but when he went to touch it the star burned his hand. He noticed another attack coming his way and moved out of the way.

Kagome was not about to let him win this fight, she sent another attack towards him. She saw him move out of the way and attacked again. This time she sent a sutra towards the Youkai, the paper charm landed on the red ball and stayed there. It did not do anything and the Youkai thought that she was getting weak from their battle.

He smirked and then he started to taunt Kagome, "What miko? Are you losing your powers already? You are not that powerful if you are weakening after just two attacks. This star is nothing and will soon lose its power. Now I can understand why the great Sesshoumaru does not travel with you. You're nothing but a weak ningen onna that no one wants." He started laughing at his own words, but in doing so he missed the look in Kagome's eyes.

Kagome was hearing the words of the Youkai in front of her. Her anger was growing with each degrading word he said. She was slowly letting go of her anger when something broke inside Kagome's heart. Years of humiliation and verbal abuse came forth as a power so great was finally awakened from its slumber.

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku watched what was going on in the middle of the shrine. They were keeping their eyes open to make sure that this Youkai does not do anything to hurt their friend. Miroku noticed what the Youkai was doing and he did not understand. He turns to Sango and asks, "Sango what is he doing? Why is he moving funny?"

Sango continued to look on and then she tries to explain, "He is moving like that to entice the female to mate with him. It's this Youkai's form of a mating ritual. This must be the way that the males of his kind go after females. But as you can see Kagome is not interested in him. She is clearly rejecting him but he is not about to give up."

Kagome's aura was growing in power. It was circling her body and her hair was moving up from the force of it.

Sango and Miroku noticed the power spike that was going on with their friend, when they heard the degrading words that the Youkai used on Kagome. They could tell that her anger was getting out of control as they both started to back away from Kagome. They knew enough to move back in case she lets go of her Reiryoku. But this time when Kagome's anger grew it started to change their friend.

-oOo-

Kagome felt power coming from deep inside her body. She didn't know where this power was coming from but she was not about to fight it. She welcomed the power because it made her even stronger than she was before.

Kagome could feel her body pulsing and said in a deadly voice, "If I'm so weak then why do you want me as a mate? Surely someone of your status would not want a weakling."

Shou stood tall and answered the females question, "You may be weak but you have powers that you have yet to tap into. We Youkai look for a powerful female so we can mate. It's how we achieve supreme conquest. We can absorb our female's powers and use it as we see fit. Our females never come into this power so it's easy for us to dominate them and use it. Plus, we have a great toy to fuck when our need arises."

That was not what Kagome wanted to hear, _'Is this why Sesshoumaru wants a powerful female? So, he can take her powers and use it as he sees fit?'_ Kagome did not know if this is what Sesshoumaru would do to her if he accepted her as his mate. But right now, she had a male that was in front of her that wanted her powers and she was not about to give it to him.

Kagome never noticed that she was physically changing her appearance. Kagome's hair grew longer as it got red streaks through her hair. There was a star that formed on her forehead as it turned blood red. She put her sword away in its sheath and faced her opponent. Her powers grew even more the angrier she got with the idiot, "There is no way that I will mate with you. I will not willingly give up my powers to any male! I don't care who they are!"

Shou growled and attacked again. But this time he went after the female with claws drawn and made to slash her in half.

Kagome saw him coming towards her and she met him head on. She blocked his attack with her Sai while her other hand hit him in the chest and sent him flying backwards into one of the shrine buildings. He destroyed the building on impact when she slowly stood up and watched what the Youkai was going to do.

Shou was not happy. He jumped up and turned heated eyes toward the female that was not willing to submit to him. _'Fucking bitch if she won't submit to me then she will submit to no one. Naraku will never get his hands on her because I will kill her before I let that bastard have her.'_

Shou took his staff and brought it to bare, he started to gather all the power that he could muster. The ball on the end of the staff started glowing even brighter when he unleashed a tremendous attack toward the female.

Kagome saw the attack coming her way. She could not move fast enough to get out of the way. Even if she could dodge the attack it would hit her pack and kill them. She was not about to let that happen when her powers flared to the forefront. She released the biggest attack she has ever created as the pink ball of Reiryoku went flying towards its target.

At the same time with what little energy she has left she put up a powerful barrier when her attack hit Shou's attack. It disbursed that attack and continued going towards the Youkai. The attack hit him in the chest, he was screaming in pain, until the attack purified him from the face of the earth.

The explosion rocked the area, the only thing you could see was dust and debris.

Sango and Miroku were knocked off their feet. When they open their eyes, they look for their friend. They could not see anything around the area, slowly the dust starts to clear. They find Kagome kneeling on the ground and she was breathing hard. They were going to run to her when they notice that the Youkai Lord was there with her, they waited to see what was going to happen.

They knew that there will be a confrontation between the two since Kagome subdued Sesshoumaru before she left to fight this Youkai.

They were both worried about their friend as they stood at the ready to make sure that she was not injured.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was slowly waking up from his forced slumber. He found himself laying on the ground as the miko's kit watched over him. He slowly sits up and tries to remember what happened. When those memories came back he gave a vicious growl and asked the kit, "Where is the miko?"

Shippou is shaking with fear when he hears the Youkai Lord's question. He didn't want to tell Sesshoumaru where his mother was, while tears came out of his eyes. "Mama is in the heart of the village. There is a big battle going on down there."

At that moment, another blast rocks the area as Sesshoumaru looks toward the village. He saw the amount of Reiryoku that his miko was releasing. If she got hurt, he was going to teach her a lesson on leaving him behind.

Sesshoumaru got up from the ground and forming his golden orb of light he takes off toward the village. When he was close he reverts to his youki cloud. He lands gently on the ground and looks at the barrier. He could tell that this barrier was very powerful and there was no way he will be able to get through it to find his miko.

Another attack was released and this one was more powerful than the last. The stone around his neck came to life as it protected him from the purifying magic that was his miko.

When it was over he got up from the ground, he noticed that the barrier was gone and went to find his female. He found her in the middle of the shrine, and she was kneeling on one knee. He approached with caution as he floats right in front of her.

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that she has changed. Her hair was longer and had red streaks going through it. She had a blood red star in the middle of her forehead. He could tell that her powers have grown tremendously since the time that she left him behind. He floated closer to her and asked, "Miko are you hurt?"

Kagome was breathing hard. It took a lot out of her to get rid of that damn Youkai. She could also feel that Sesshoumaru was right in front of her, then she remembered what that Youkai said about males and their chosen female. She did not know if it was true but she was on guard against Sesshoumaru. She did not want him to take her powers away from her as well.

Kagome slowed her breathing when she heard Sesshoumaru's question, "I'm fine Lord Sesshoumaru. I can protect myself and fight my own battles."

Sesshoumaru was stunned by her response. Her voice was so cold towards him and he did not know why. He was wondering what happened after she left him, he watched her get back on her feet and walk away. He followed closely behind her, she went to get a wooden staff that was lying on the ground.

Kagome walked back to the area where the fake Shou was standing. She found the staff that he was using and picked it up. The moment her hand touched the staff the red ball on top turned a pale pink when she purified the shards that were within it.

Sango, Miroku, and Sesshoumaru watched with interest, they noticed that something was coming out of the ball on top. They saw the spirit of an old man come out of the staff and when he spoke to the little miko. "Miko-sama I am forever in your debt for releasing me from that prison. The Youkai that imprisoned me in there was using my holy powers for his own evil gain. I was unable to fight against him and he has killed many from this village. Please make sure that Lord Sesshoumaru knows what has happened here and that the Youkai Naraku was heading east."

Kagome took a deep breath and told the spirit, "I will let Lord Sesshoumaru know of your courage to take care of your village. I'm sure that he will find someone that can protect this area of the lands from now on. Now you are free to go rest in peace. I will make sure that your village is well taken care of."

The old man bowed to her and said his thanks. His spirit formed a silver ball of light and went up to the heavens.

Kagome then put her hand on the ball, it cracked and then broke into a million pieces. The four jewel shards inside the ball floated over to her hand and landed gently there. Kagome then fused them together with the one around her neck as the piece of the jewel grew by the four fragments. She has over half of the jewel shards now and she must continue to collect the rest of them.

Kagome then turns, she sees her pack and asks, "Are you all right? Did either of you get hurt?"

Sango and Miroku looked at Kagome and notice that her markings have not gone away. They were at a loss as to why she has these markings. When they hear her question, Sango responds, "We are fine Kagome, but why do you now have markings on your face?"

Kagome was confused when she heard Sango's question. Then she noticed a strand of her hair had turned red. She had no idea what was going on, "Sango can you get my mirror out of my bag for me."

Sango quickly complied with her wishes and looks for Kagome's mirror. When she finds it, she hands it to Kagome and watched with interest to see what she would think about her new markings.

Kagome opened her compact and looked in the mirror. Her eyes open wide when she saw the star on her forehead. She noticed the red streaks all over her hair. She had no idea what was going on or why she has these markings. The only thing she knew for sure was that she has grown in power because she could still feel it coursing through her veins.

She looked up at Sango and answered, "I have no idea what these marks mean. But I do feel like I have gained new powers, maybe it's a side effect of some kind."

Sesshoumaru was deep in thought while he looked at the miko. He had no idea why she received these markings. He could tell that she has grown stronger. She was more powerful than before and he liked it. At that moment, they heard Shippou yell, "Kagome!" They saw the little kit on the back of Kirara as she landed close to their pack.

Shippou jumped off Kirara's back as soon as she touched the ground. He ran to his mother, jumping into her arms, and said, "Mama! Are you all right?"

Kagome brought the kit closer to her chest and started to rub his back to calm him down. "Yes, Shippou I'm fine. Why are you here and not at the place I left you with Kirara?"

Shippou knew that to leave the area that his mother put him in to be protected was going to get him into a lot trouble. He disobeyed the alpha of the pack and to disobey her is to get her punishment for doing so. "I'm sorry mama, I was worried about you and when we saw the barrier go down we thought that it was safe to come."

Kagome looked at her kit and said, "We will discuss your punishment later. But right now, we have to see to the villagers."

Kagome turned and started walking towards the main village. She was exhausted but she had to finish what she started. She will have plenty of time to rest afterwards.

Kagome led her group towards the center of the village, she saw the villagers coming out of the forest when they saw her. The man that talked to them when they first arrived at this village came forward and asked, "Miko-sama, have you cured our priest?"

Kagome sighed, while she explained what has happened to their priest. The villagers were saddened to learn that their priest had died over a moon ago. The man in front of her stood tall and said, "Miko-sama, will you honor us by staying here in the village for the night? It is the least we can do to pay you for what you have done for us."

Kagome rubbed her forehead, she was sensing that Inuyasha and Naraku's incarnations were around the area. She did not want to put this village in danger and answered, "I thank you for the offer but we must leave. If we stay here it will not be safe for you."

Kagome turned towards the monk, "Miroku I want you to place a barrier around this village. Make sure that it's powerful and that it will protect them against Youkai that mean them harm. I know that there are Youkai in the area that come to trade with them so we don't want to hurt them."

Miroku understood what Kagome wanted and he set about to place a barrier around the village. When that was accomplished Kagome said her goodbyes to the villagers and left with her pack.

Sango was walking next to her sister. She was curious on why her sister did not accept the headman offer of staying for the night. She knew that Kagome was tired and a good rest on a futon would be better than lying on the ground, "Kagome why did you not take them up on their offer? I know that you can use the rest after that battle with the priest."

Kagome heard Sango's question, she out of anyone here should know why she wouldn't stay in the village, "Think about it Sango, what would be the reason that I wouldn't stay at this village?"

Kagome watched Sango and when she couldn't think of the answer she stated, "I can feel that Inuyasha and Naraku's incarnations are in the area. If they came after us they will attack the village to get to us. This way if they attack they will not destroy the village."

Now Sango understood why her sister declined the offer and kept her senses opened. It was not good if Inuyasha and Naraku's minions were in the area. But at the same time Sango also noticed that Sesshoumaru was not riding on Kagome's shoulder. She was wondering what was going on when she noticed that the Youkai Lord was talking to Miroku.

Sesshoumaru wanted to know what happened when the miko left him behind. She was mad at him and he did not know why. He thought that he could get his answer from the monk since he was there the entire time with his little miko. He was floating next to him, while stating, "Monk, this Sesshoumaru wishes to know what happened when the miko left this one behind."

Miroku was surprised that Sesshoumaru would ask him any questions. He thought that he was beneath the Youkai Lords notice being ningen. Honored, that the Youkai Lord wanted information he started to relay what happened at the shrine. To Miroku surprise Sesshoumaru was not expecting that a changeling was the Youkai in the shrine. He also told him what the Youkai said to Kagome which got her angry and caused the changes in her.

Sesshoumaru continued to float next to the monk while he thought about what that Youkai said to his little miko. _'If that changeling told the miko that male Youkai look for strong females so they can take their powers away from them then that will explain why the miko is upset at this Sesshoumaru.'_

Sesshoumaru's beast piped up, _**'We cannot allow our chosen female to believe what that idiot has told her. We do not need her powers; we are powerful enough as we are and there is no one on these lands who can defeat us.'**_

' _That may be true but there is one that put us under this spell that we are having difficulties in breaking. But I do agree that we must talk to her and let her know that what that changeling told her is not true for our kind. We do not wish for our female's power we wish for her love, which is something more than any other Youkai wants from their chosen female.'_ For the first time in Sesshoumaru's life he has come to the decision that he loved the little miko. It was more than wanting her as a mate, more than anything he wanted her to love him.

Sesshoumaru turned and gazed upon his little miko. She was tired and he could feel it. He moved closer, while he floated alongside her. He looked at her out of the corner of his eye, noticing the strain she was under. He floated over to her shoulder and whispered into her ear, "Miko we must stop for the night. We are far enough away from the village to protect them. You cannot continue to push yourself this hard or your body will give out."

Kagome was walking through the forest leading her pack away from the village, deep in thought. She didn't know who to believe that Youkai that she killed or Sesshoumaru. She has never known Sesshoumaru to lie to her before. But could it be true that Youkai look for powerful females to take their powers? Something was telling her that what that changeling said was untrue but she will not know the truth unless she confronted Sesshoumaru and finds out for herself.

She was brought out of her mussing when she heard what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. He was right, she could not continue at this pace, because she was spent.

Kagome called a halt to their travel because it was getting late in the day. Her pack got busy making camp while she went and sat down by a tree. She was exhausted and wanted to rest but that would have to wait because at that moment she saw Sesshoumaru coming towards her.

Sesshoumaru noticed the little miko heading towards a tree to rest. He could tell that she was tired, he thought it best to go and talk to her before things got out of hand. He landed on the ground near her, when he saw her tired eyes. His eyes softened just a bit, "Miko we need to talk."

Sesshoumaru saw her sigh, whereas she rested her head back against the tree, ready to listen to what he had to say. "Miko what that changeling told you about male Youkai is not true. It might be his breeds practice to take the females power but it does not hold true for all Youkai."

Kagome opened her eyes, she listened to what he was saying and became curious, "If what he told me is not true then why do you want a powerful female by your side?"

Sesshoumaru sat down on the ground and crossed his legs in front of him. He looked up at the miko and continued. "Inu Youkai males look for a powerful female because they need to be powerful. Inu Youkai like me have very powerful enemies and the female must be equal in power to fight against any threat. They must be strong enough to protect their pups. But all males of my kind look for one thing in their females that others do not."

Kagome was very interested in what he was saying and asks, "What is that one thing that you look for?" Her heart was beating faster with each minute that passed by. She didn't know what she was hoping to hear but she wanted to hear what Inu Youkai look for in a female.

Sesshoumaru was almost hesitant in telling her but when he saw the tears forming in her eyes he said, "We, out of all the Youkai's on these lands, want our females love and affection. That is why Inu Youkai mate for life. Because the female we pick we will love like no other. We will wait for that female to love us in return and then we will mate. It takes the Inu male longer to find a female than any other Youkai because of this."

Kagome was blown away by his statement. _'For him to mate he has to love the female that he wants. Maybe I do have a chance with him after all.'_ The tears that she has been trying to hold back came running down her cheeks. They were tears of happiness as she let all her emotions go and finally calmed down.

Sesshoumaru eyes opened wide when he observed that all her markings were going away. He felt her relaxing and letting go of her emotions, which allowed the markings on her face and hair to disappear. She returned to her normal form, then he formed his cloud under his feet and floated up to her. He moved closer to her face and tried to find out if she was all right, "Miko are you sure you are alright? You are not hurt?"

Kagome gave him a sad smile, then she reached out and grabbed him. She brought him closer to her chest, just under her chin, and held him there. She could not receive a hug from him but this was better than she thought possible. She did not detect any lies from him when he was talking to her.

She nuzzled him and said in a soft voice, "Thank you Sesshoumaru for telling me. There for a minute I thought that all Youkai were like that. I could never love anyone that wants me because of my powers. You gave me some hope that at least I can find someone to love me for who and what I am and not because they want the powers that I hold."

Sesshoumaru was not surprised when the little miko grabbed him. She brought him closer to her body and nuzzled him. He gave a gentle growl that seemed to soothe her when he heard her words. He could feel that her body was finally going to get the rest that it needs, her breathing evens outs and she falls asleep.

Now he had to figure out how to move away from his little female so he could protect her while she slept. When he tried to move, she tightened her hold on him. There was no way he could move away from her without waking her up. He sighed while he nuzzled her and growled low in his throat. She gave a growl in return as he settled down in her hold. He might as well enjoy her touch since he could not get free.

Sesshoumaru did notice that he was well hidden from the others as the little female slept.

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku were watching their friend. They knew that she was tired and wondered if she will ever go to sleep. They noticed when the Youkai Lord went to talk to her while they continued with their duties.

Once dinner was ready Sango turned, she was getting ready to call Kagome so she could eat, when she noticed that Kagome has finally fallen asleep against the tree. She looked for the Youkai Lord but could not find him anywhere in the area. She turned to Miroku, asking, "Miroku have you seen Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Miroku heard Sango's words, he sat up and looked around the area wondering where the Youkai Lord was located. To his surprise, he was nowhere to be found and he could not detect his aura, "No, the last time I saw him he was with Kagome, is he gone again?"

Sango was looking around the area as well, trying to find Sesshoumaru, "Yes, Kagome is asleep and he is gone. Miroku can you put a barrier around the area to protect us during the night? Kagome won't be able to do it now that she is asleep."

Miroku nodded saying, "Of course my lovely Sango. I feel that Inuyasha is in the area and so is Naraku's incarnations. At least my barrier will protect us until morning." Miroku stood, pulling his ofuda out of his robes, he cast his barrier around the area.

It was a powerful barrier, but not as powerful as Kagome's barrier, but it was powerful enough to protect them.

Miroku then settled down next to Sango and ate their evening meal. They kept their voices low while they watched over Shippou. When they were done with their food they cleaned the area and then lay down to sleep.

-oOo-

It was in the middle of the night when Sesshoumaru was jerked out of his peaceful sleep. He could feel Youkai in the area and they were trying to take down the monk's barrier. He knew that the monk had powers that he was hiding from the rest of the group but with this many Youkai his barrier will come down.

Sesshoumaru tried to get out of the miko's hold. But every time he moved the miko would tighten her hold on him.

He stopped his movements and thought about how to get his little miko to let go of him. Then he got an idea and started to growl low in his throat. His idea worked when the little miko totally relaxed and released her hold on him. When she was relaxed enough he slipped out of her arms and moved away from her.

Sesshoumaru concentrated on the general area and noticed that the half breed was moving closer to his location. This will not do because if the half breed and dead miko start to attack the barrier it will come down faster.

He took out his Tenseiga and the sword started to pulse with power. _'Tenseiga lend me your strength so I can protect the little miko and her pack.'_ The sword pulsed twice as it gathered its power.

Sesshoumaru then took the sword and drove it into the ground, once he did the Tenseiga released its power. It went around the area, augmenting the monk's barrier and made it even stronger. This will protect the pack and it will allow the little miko to rest comfortably.

Sesshoumaru got a wicked smile on his face, he felt when Inuyasha was attacked by the barrier that he placed around the area, sending him and that corpse into the forest. The half breed was now hurt and he had the added task of protecting the corpse as well. A smirk of satisfaction came over Sesshoumaru's features. Now that the real threat was gone from the area he could go back to his miko.

Sesshoumaru missed her warmth and her scent, he crawled back near her neck and nuzzled his way closer to her chest. He found a comfortable spot and fell asleep once again.

-oOo-

Inuyasha and Kikyou were moving through the area heading towards where Kagome was located. They knew that she was weak and that she could not fight them now. They traveled to this village because Kikyou felt a jewel shard in this area.

Imagine their surprise when they found that Kagome was already here and fighting the person who possessed the jewel shards. They were standing on a hill top watching what was going on down below.

Inuyasha was surprised at the amount of power that Kagome possessed. She was very powerful, more powerful than he gave her credit for. If he had to guess she was even more powerful than Kikyou. His chest puffed out with pride while he watched her battling the Youkai. _'I have to get her back in my pack. I don't care how powerful she is I will make her submit to me so I can have her. She will bare me powerful pups, something that my own mate can't give me.'_

They were on their way to this village when they noticed that a powerful barrier was preventing them from entering the area. Without the red barrier breaking Tetsusaiga he could not bring the barrier down.

Ever since Kagome sealed his sword it will not transform for him. Kikyou has tried to break her spell but it was no use. The sword remained in its rusty form. He could not protect Kikyou with it and he was forced to run from a fight because he could not kill the bastards. He didn't like this one bit, he wasn't used to running away from a fight, but he had to protect his mate, no matter what. He stood there and watched while his former alpha female grew in power.

Inuyasha and Kikyou continued to watch Kagome to see what she was going to do when they saw her leaving the village. They followed hoping to relieve her of her jewel shards.

Inuyasha was hoping to subdue Kagome so he could get his pack back but he didn't know if he was powerful enough to do it. Not even Kikyou's powers were any match for her. They came up with a plan to wait until dark to attack. If they were sleeping when they attacked, he will have a better chance of making Kagome submit to him.

It was now dark as Inuyasha and Kikyou approached the barrier. They stopped in front of it while Kikyou was trying to decide what to do. When she had a plan, she said, "Inuyasha, when I put my hand on the barrier I want you to put your hand on top of mine. Concentrate on your youki and mix it with my Reiryoku so we can bring this barrier down."

Inuyasha understood his mate and got ready. Kikyou approached the barrier and put her hand on it. Inuyasha put his hand on top of hers as they both concentrated on the barrier. They were about to bring it down when they were both hit in the chest and went flying backwards into the trees.

Inuyasha was the first to recover while he slowly sat up and shook his head. He looked around the area for his mate and found her just a few feet away from him. She was unconscious on the ground, worried that she was hurt he made his way towards her.

Inuyasha checked his mate to make sure she was all right. She was just knocked out cold and turned his attention back to the barrier. He growled when he noticed that Sesshoumaru put his own barrier around the area and it had almost killed them both for touching it. There was no way they will be able to bring it down now, he growled at having his plans spoiled, turning towards his mate he picks her up and heads deeper into the forest.

There were other Youkai around the area and he needed to find a safe place to sleep for the night. He had to protect his mate no matter what. As he was walking away he looked back over his shoulder to the barrier. He never knew that Sesshoumaru would care enough about ningens to protect them. Something in his gut was telling him that his brother was up to something and he was not going to like it one bit.

But he could not do anything now. They must come up with a plan that will get them the jewel shards that Kagome has hanging around her neck.

-oOo-

The next morning Sango started to stir right before the crack of dawn. She needed to get the morning meal going because Kagome has not eaten since yesterday. She knew that her sister needed to eat to get better.

When Sango sat up, her cheeks flushed the minute she noticed that Miroku was sleeping close to her, she was wondering why he was next to her.

Then Sango felt the bite to the morning air and now knew why Miroku was sleeping so close. It was getting colder during the night and Miroku must have wanted some extra warmth. He was close enough to her to share his body heat but not that close to touch her while she slept.

She got up from her spot and went to get cleaned up. Once she was done she started on the morning meal. While Sango was cooking, she looked in her sister's direction, she noticed that Sesshoumaru was back and he was sitting next to Kagome. He looked like he was guarding her while she slept and Sango gave a small smile in appreciation.

Sango knew that Sesshoumaru cared for Kagome but with him being this small he could not act on his feelings for her sister. She just hoped that they could find the answer to his problem so he can go back to his normal form. She knew that if something ever happened to Sesshoumaru Kagome would be heart broken. She will never allow that to happen to her sister. She deserved to be happy and she will do everything in her power to make sure that she finds happiness.

Sango continued with the morning meal when Miroku and then Shippou woke from their sleep.

Sango looked over at Shippou and noticed that something was not right with him. His cheeks were flushed and he was moving slower than usual. She thought this odd while she kept an eye on him. She needed to know if he was getting sick or if this was just him being tired from getting up early.

Sango finally got the morning meal finished and started to give everyone their food. She gave Miroku his food and he said his thanks to her. She then turned to Shippou and gave him his food and noticed how fast he was eating. He was eating like he was starving and finished his meal within minutes. He asked for more and Sango gave him more to eat. He was a growing kit after all.

Sango then got food ready for Sesshoumaru when she looked in his direction. She saw him trying to wake Kagome so she could eat. She fixed her sister a plate of food and then walked over to them.

Sango bowed deeply then gave Kagome and Sesshoumaru their meal. She noticed that Kagome was still a little groggy but she saw her eating her food. Now that everyone was served it was time that she sat down to eat herself.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru noticed that the slayer was almost done with the morning meal. He knew that his miko needed to eat to keep her strength up, so he decided to go and wake her from her slumber.

He moved closer to her and said in her ear, "Miko it is time for you to wake up. You need to eat to get stronger."

Kagome heard someone calling out to her. She did not want to get up just yet while she mumbled, "I don't want to get up. Just leave me alone." She then rolled over away from that voice that was nagging at her to wake up.

Sesshoumaru huffed when he saw the miko move away from him. This irritated him to no end, he then jumped over her body to face her once more. Now that he was hidden from the pack he could wake her his way.

He moved closer to her face while his hand reached out to caress her cheek. He noticed when the little miko moved closer to his hand while he growled for her. Then he whispered, "Mate time to get up so you can eat. You will feel better once you do."

He slowly moved away from the miko when he noticed that she was stirring from her sleep. He saw perfect blue eyes coming into focus as she groaned and sat up.

Kagome had fallen back to sleep when that voice came back. This time it was gentler as he asked her to get up so she could eat.

Slowly opening her eyes, she allows them to come into focus. She sees Sesshoumaru standing there looking at her with concern in his eyes, she didn't understand why he would be so worried about her. She groans and then sits up slowly, she has no idea why her body hurt so much and she was feeling very weak right now.

Then something to her right caught her attention, she sees Sango giving her a plate of food. Her stomach was growling in hunger while she slowly eats. When she was finished, she felt better but then she decided that she needed a bath to fully wake up. She turned, reaching for her bag, as she got up and started to leave the clearing to bathe.

She was at the edge of the clearing when she heard Sango say, "Kagome, I'm going with you this morning. I hope you don't mind."

Kagome smiled at her longtime friend, "I don't mind. You are welcome to come with me Sango."

Sango smiled, reaching her sister, they both walked deeper into the woods. There was a hot spring not too far away from their camp as the girls made their way there. Neither of them spoke while they were walking, and when they finally got to the hot springs they looked at it in awe.

The hot springs was in a secluded part of the forest. There were tall trees surrounding the spring and bushes as thick as a wall covering every inch of the surrounding area.

Kagome found a way through the brush that allowed them into this beautiful place. Flowers were growing around the area and there was green grass there as well. It just looked so beautiful, both girls looked at each other and smiled.

They quickly walked over to the spring and disrobed. Placing their bathing supplies by the spring they both slowly step into the nice warm water. They both moan in pleasure as they lower their bodies into the warm essence, allowing it to soothe aching muscles, and soothe their hearts.

Kagome could not believe how wonderful this water felt. It was not too hot or too cold. It was just the right temperature to allow her muscles to relax and stretch. She needed this, as she relaxed in the water with Sango.

Sango was enjoying her bath with Kagome. It has been so long since they have bathed together. Ever since Kagome took the mantle of pack alpha she has been burden with all the responsibility of keeping them all safe.

You can see the strain of leadership on her features while she tries to do the right thing by her pack. She has seen Kagome fighting impossible odds to protect them as the Youkai's with jewel shards were getting more powerful.

Sango moved to the edge of the spring, she got the shampoo that Kagome got for her and started to wash her hair with it. It smelled like strawberries and it was heavenly to her senses. She then rinses her hair and applies what Kagome calls conditioner that will prevent her hair from getting tangled. Once this is done she quickly washes up and then goes under the water to get the soap off her body.

By the time Sango comes up for air she notices that Kagome is getting ready to bathe. She quickly goes over to her, grabs her shampoo and then turns to her waiting for her to turn around so she could wash her hair.

Sango gave Kagome a big smile and saw Kagome nod in understanding. She turns and lets Sango wash her hair. This is not the first time that Sango has done this for her. She has done it many times in the past to help her feel better and she welcomed the little bit of attention.

Kagome sat down and relaxed while Sango washed her hair. It felt good to have someone else wash your hair while she sat there and relaxed for the first time in weeks.

Sango gave a gentle smile when she washed Kagome's hair. She has been the recipient of such attention in the past while her sister tried to shower her with affection. At the time, she needed the extra care and by Kagome doing this, it made her relax enough to deal with everything that was going on around her.

Sango knew that Kagome needed this. She has never seen Kagome this stressed out before. Carrying the mantle of leadership is never easy and here lately their enemies were getting stronger by the day. It was taking everything they had to defeat these Youkai but it was Kagome that was pushed to her limits in these fights.

Add to that the strain of protecting the Youkai Lord of the West, she was under a great deal of stress.

Sango continued with her attention on Kagome, she first washed and then conditioned Kagome's hair. When she was done Kagome then stood up, washed her body, and then went under the water.

Kagome came up out of the water, rubbing her hands over her face to get rid of the water. She slowly walks out towards Sango, saying, "Thank you Sango. I can't remember the last time someone washed my hair for me. It is very relaxing."

Sango smiled, "I was hoping that it would relax you just a bit. You have been tense here lately and I figured that a little bit of attention could never hurt you. Plus, you deserve to be pampered every now and then."

Both girls laughed while they got out of the water and dried off. They were about to get dressed when Kagome gave Sango a new kimono to wear. This one was almost like the one she was wearing but a little different. This one was a dark green fabric with pink flowers throughout the material. She had a black obi to go along with it that allowed her to wear her exterminator outfit under it with ease.

Sango was surprised by the kimono that Kagome had given her, "Kagome you really have to stop doing this. Every time you go home you bring me a new kimono. This is very beautiful but I feel that I can't accept it."

Kagome gave a deadly growl, she was angered by Sango's words, "Sango it is my responsibility to make sure that my pack has everything they need to survive, from clothes to food and even shelter. This is my job as alpha of this pack. I even brought back some material so that we can make Miroku new robes. The ones he has now are getting worn and frayed, soon the material will tear and they will be of no use. Besides all I did was buy the material I made this kimono myself so it was not expensive."

Sango's eyes opened wide in disbelief, she couldn't believe that Kagome made this kimono, "You made this?"

Kagome looked at her with concern in her eyes, "Yes I made them. Is there anything wrong with it?"

Sango shook her head, she was still in shock by what she heard, "No, there is nothing wrong with it. It is the best quality of fabric and workmanship that I have ever seen. Only people of noble birth can afford such things."

Kagome was surprised by what Sango was saying to her. It was the same thing that Sesshoumaru said when she gave him his new kimono to wear. She shook her head to clear it of its thoughts, "We better get back. We have to be on our way if we are going to get to the next place that has the next jewel shard."

Sango agreed as they left the hot springs and headed back towards camp.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Kagome showed that youkai who was the weaker of the two. Then for her to hear that a male youkai wants a powerful female so they can steal her powers was the final blow to Kagome and she released all that pent-up anger. Good thing that this time Sesshoumaru spoke up and told her that it does not apply to all youkai.

Ok I want to address something. I do read every review that is given in the story and any private messages that is sent to me. I appreciate them all, especially when it's been a very bad day for me. The reason I am addressing this is because I have received some reviews and but mostly PM's regarding this.

But first if I called Miroku a priest I do apologize it was a type-o, I know he is a monk and I must have missed that during my editing. Second, I do know that Sesshoumaru does not have a tail but for my story a tail works for me. This is the way I wrote this story. I do know it's called a MokoMoko-sama but in my story, its staying a tail. Sorry but it's my imagination that created it and that is just a small change to Sesshoumaru. I have seen other authors do far worse to Sesshoumaru. And as far as the tenses, well I am working on it, English is not my language so I am trying. If it gets to be too much for you, please, don't read it. Ok now I'm done.

In the next chapter Shippou becomes ill and Kagome doesn't know what is happening to him. Sesshoumaru takes them to a place where he tells the miko what is happening to her kit.

Until the next chapter

Ja ni!


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Sesshoumaru watched the females of the pack leave their camp to go bathe. He stayed behind to make sure that the monk will not do something that he will regret.

Ever since the incident by the river where the miko has given him an ultimatum about his actions, he has not acted out of line. He has not embarrassed the little miko with his wondering hand and has been very helpful in protecting the pack.

Sesshoumaru looks toward the monk, he was sitting by the fire with his eyes closed. He looked to be mediating not moving, and breathing in and out in a slow rhythm with his eyes closed. 

Sesshoumaru was keeping his eyes on the hentai monk but he was also keeping his senses open to make sure that the females were not attacked while they were bathing. He has no doubt that they can defend themselves but with them bathing it would make it difficult. Plus, he did not want anyone else to see what was his.

Sesshoumaru senses movement and opened his eyes. He observes as the monk gets up from his spot while he starts to get everything packed. He was cleaning up the area to give the females a break from having to do it. It meant that they will be ready to leave as soon as the females came back.

Sesshoumaru also noticed that something was wrong with the kit. He was sitting off to the side not moving. He thought this was strange, because the kit was usually running around with the neko playing.

He noticed that the kits aura was fluctuating, growing stronger and then weaker. He started to think about what could be causing this while he tries to find the answer, he knew his mate will be worried about the kit. His thoughts were interrupted when the females came back and they were ready to leave.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the little miko stood in the middle of the camp and closed her eyes. He has seen this before; she was trying to find the next jewel shard for them to hunt.

But when the little miko opened her eyes he noticed that her eyebrows were furrowed together. There was something wrong, he floated over to her, "Miko can you not detect where the next jewel shard is located?"

Kagome closed her eyes and sent her aura searching the lands for any jewel shards. To her surprise there were none out there besides the ones that she knew Koga and Kohaku possessed. She could not pick up on the shards that Naraku had. He was blocking her from detecting them thus protecting himself until he was ready for the final battle.

She opened her eyes when she heard Sesshoumaru's question. She sighs, she couldn't believe that this journey was about over, "The only shards left to gather are Koga, Kohaku, and Naraku's shards. We will head east to the eastern caves to retrieve the shards from Koga. Then we should find Kohaku. It will be harder to get him away from Naraku but we will try without hurting him."

Kagome said the last while she looked at Sango. She saw appreciation in her eyes for trying to get her brother back from Naraku.

Kagome was not looking forward to seeing Koga. Now that she was the alpha of her own pack she was positive that Koga was one of those Youkai that will try to make her submit to his will. She was simply not the submitting type so it will be an intense fight.

She turned her attention to the area around them. It did not pay to dwell on things when it will take about three days to get there. She will have enough time to think of a strategy to defeat Koga and get the jewel shards.

Kagome looked for her kit when she noticed that he was sitting up against a tree. Something did not seem right with her kit. He would usually be up and playing but today he was quiet and withdrawn. She walked over to him and kneeled in front of him.

Kagome took a closer look at Shippou. She noticed that his cheeks were flushed, leaning forward, she touched his forehead, she found that he was running an unusually high fever. She became alarmed and said with a strained voice, "Shippou you're sick. You are burning up with a fever."

Sango heard what Kagome said as she quickly rushed to her side. They both looked at the kit trying to find out what was wrong with him.

Kagome sent her aura into his body to see what kind of illness he might have. But to her surprise she found none. She was confused about what could be making her kit so sick, "I don't know what's wrong with him. I sense no illness in him, no infection, nothing, I have no idea what could be causing his high fever."

Kagome stood and held the little kit closer to her chest. Her motherly instincts kicking in while she tried to find out what was wrong with her kit. She made a decision on what she was going to do, "We need to find shelter. We cannot travel with Shippou being this sick."

Everyone agreed with her assessment, they picked up their packs and immediately began to move.

Sesshoumaru observed the miko while she tended to the little kit. He got to see her motherly instincts up close when she tried to find out what was wrong with her kit. He got an idea, he floated next to her and stated, "Miko there is a cave about a half days walk from here that we can use until the kit is feeling better. It is not far if you would like to go there."

Kagome heard the Youkai Lord's words, it was the best option that she had at this moment in time, with her mind made up she asked, "That would be great Sesshoumaru. In which direction, do we have to travel in?"

Sesshoumaru landed on the miko's shoulder and told her in which direction to go. Kagome wasted no time in walking to this cave. She needed a safe place for her kit until he was healed.

They traveled for most of the day, not even stopping to rest. They finally reach the area that Sesshoumaru was talking about when Kagome stopped. She sensed a powerful barrier around this area, one that she could not bring down easily.

"There is a barrier here and a powerful one. We will not be able to go any further into this place." Kagome stated while she was looking around the area. She was trying to find a way into this barrier.

Sesshoumaru got up and formed his youki cloud under his feet. Moving over to the barrier, he put his hand on it, making a hole appear, "Everyone quickly enter."

Kagome was surprised that Sesshoumaru could open this barrier. They all quickly walked through and waited for him to join them.

Sesshoumaru replaced the barrier and goes back to the miko, resuming his place on her shoulder. They continued on their way to a cave that was not too far away.

As the group continued to travel they noticed that they were walking through an ancient forest. It looked like this place has never been disturbed. There were trees here that were very old. The forest was so thick that you could not see the sky through the canopy.

They came to this one part in the forest when Kagome stopped in her tracks. She felt power coming from this area when her aura connected to the lands.

With Kagome being a miko she was very in tuned with the earth and its changes. There were ancient trees in the area. But there was one tree that she felt was the oldest tree she has ever seen. She walked closer to it and she was in awe.

The tree had a big trunk. If she had to guess she felt that the trunk of this tree was as big as her mother's house back home. It had four huge branches that went in four different directions. Instead of leaves growing on its limbs it looked like hair was growing all over it. It had tuffs of this hair over its branches that gave the impression that it was a weeping willow but it was not. It was very strange to her when she was compelled to touch one of the limbs.

Her mind flashed with memories of the millenniums that this tree has lived through, and it was still standing here in the forest. She felt something familiar about this tree and finally she lets go of the branch.

Everyone around Kagome was on high alert when Kagome seemed to go stiff from touching this tree. They had no idea what was going on while they waited for her to say something. The moment she let go of the tree her friends came closer to her while Sango asked, "Kagome are you all right? You seemed to have something happen to you when you touched this tree."

Kagome came out of her daze and looked at her pack. She took a deep breath, saying, "This forest is very old, older than time itself. This tree has been here for many millenniums and the sacred tree near Kaede's village is his son. That tree grew from a seed that this one created and is the guardian of time.

"This tree here is the guardian of the lands. His mission is to keep the lands safe and provide for everyone. But as ningens and Youkai destroy the lands it is weakening this tree. He feels sad and hurt that the land that has provided so much for everyone is not being taken care of."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this. This land has been in his clan for more than a millennium. He knew some history for this tree but not all of it. It appeared that the little miko was connected more to the lands than he thought.

He thought it best to get everyone to the cave before they dealt with the kit. While on their way here to his sanctuary he has figured out what was wrong. He needs to talk to the miko as soon as possible, "Miko I suggest we get moving, your kit is not doing too well and we need to see if we can help him."

Kagome came back from her daze and looked at her kit. His fever seemed to have gotten worse and she had to agree with the Youkai Lord and continued walking.

Not too far away from the ancient tree they stopped by the side of a mountain as the group looked up at the sheer cliff.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru got off her shoulder and moved over to the rock face. He put his hand on the surface as she saw his youki come forth. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that there was a barrier there and he brought it down.

When they walked into the cave they were in awe. There was fur all over the cave floor with low tables and oil lamps. It looked like someone lived here when they heard Sesshoumaru say, "This cave belongs to my clan. It is a place where my family comes when they are injured and need time to heal. It is also where we Inu Youkai bring our young when they are about to mature."

What he said caught Kagome's attention as she asked, "Mature? Sesshoumaru is Shippou maturing? Is this why he is so sick?"

Sesshoumaru landed on a pillow and sat down to talk to the miko. Kagome sat in front of him, everyone else sat behind her and out of the way. Miroku and Sango were hoping that they would be allowed to stay for the information exchange that Sesshoumaru was going to impart to their friend.

Sesshoumaru looked up from his position, "Miko how much do you know about how a Youkai matures?"

Kagome eyebrows furrow together; she concentrates on the information in her mind to see if she has knowledge of what Sesshoumaru was asking about. She found that her knowledge in this area is very limited and she did not know much. "I really don't know how Youkai mature. I haven't found any scrolls that could tell me that kind of information."

Sesshoumaru sighed, he thought as much, and then began his explanation, "Miko a Youkai matures when they reach certain years in their lives. Unlike a ningen pup who matures day by day a Youkai will have what you call growth spurts.

"Your kit has already had several growth spurts. But there is one that is very dangerous and requires both parents to be present to help the pup. It's during this time that his inner beast awakens from its slumber and is made known to its host.

"It's a transformation of sorts. The Youkai parents will help the pup come into their power. They gradually control how fast the pup's power is released and when the beast emerges they dominate the beast so that it recognizes the male as the alpha of the pup's pack. This is very important because if the parents cannot control the Youkai that is awakening, it will lose control and go on a rampage.

"Pups that lose their parents when they are this young never survive to reach maturity. Even if they do manage to survive on their own without their parents, when they reach this maturity their beast will take over and they wind up getting killed by another powerful Youkai.

"That's why females are so protective of their young. They know what will happen if they are not there for their pup when they mature.

"Your kit is also a master of illusions. He has been hiding his true size because he is much bigger than this. This Sesshoumaru didn't even detect it but I have thought it strange that the kit was much more mature than others his age."

Kagome was in shock; her kit might die because he does not have his parents to help him through this transformation. Her mind was racing with what to do when she looked at her kit. _'This can't be happening! Will I lose my kit because he is maturing into an adult and his beast is about to awaken? How can I help him through this? There is no way that I will let him go through this alone. I have to find a way to help him.'_

Kagome looks down at Sesshoumaru and asks in a low voice, "Sesshoumaru, is there any way we can help him during this time?"

Sesshoumaru was looking at the miko when he was telling her about the kit. He noticed the concern look in her eyes when he was explaining how a Youkai matures. She was clearly upset that she will lose her kit during his transformation. He heard her question when he got up from his seat and said, "I will need to speak to you in private miko. Then I will answer your question."

Kagome understood his meaning. He was willing to share information with the others but when it came to personal questions about him he will only tell her. She felt privileged that he would share this with her. It made her feel special in some way and she liked it.

Kagome got up with Shippou still in her arms and made her way outside. She was following Sesshoumaru through the area as they walked back to the ancient trees.

Once they got there Sesshoumaru turned to the little miko and stated, "This Sesshoumaru does not know if I will be able to help the kit through his transformation, but I'm willing to try. The only problem that I foresee is that when he transforms he will be larger than me. To dominate his inner beast, I must dominate him when he emerges."

Kagome thought about what Sesshoumaru saying while she was thinking about a possible solution. She came up with an idea and said, "I have a spell that might be able to help. When Shippou transforms, I will be able to make Maru bigger. It will still be an illusion but it will be real nonetheless. Will this help you?"

Sesshoumaru thought that the miko plan was good. He gave his agreement and then he turned to the business at hand. "Miko soon the sun will go down and the moon will rise. When the moon is at its apex in the sky, the kits transformation will start. We both must be well rested before this because it will not be easy to help him through this part in his life."

Kagome understood, then she asked, "Sesshoumaru will this happen again? Will there ever be a time that he will need this kind of help again?"

"No this is the only time in his life that he will need help. When he matures again he will be able to do it on his own. He will be older and will be able to handle the changes that his body will be making." Sesshoumaru continued to look at the little miko while he observed her expression constantly changing.

Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru did not have to offer to help her with Shippou. But he was willing to do this for her and she knew that she would be indebted to him for his help.

Kagome got up with Shippou, then they both walked back to the cave. When they arrived, Sango had the evening meal already on the fire and it will not be long before they all ate. Then they will need to rest for what was going to happen tonight.

It was a very subdued group that waited until the sun set over the horizon. Once the sun was down they got ready for what they needed to do. "Sango, I want you, Miroku, and Kirara to stay here in the cave. When it's over I will send for Kirara to come to me. That will be your queue that it is safe to approach. From what I have been told this could be dangerous to you and I don't want any of you getting hurt."

Sango was disappointed that she will not be able to go but she understood where Kagome was going with this. She wanted to keep them safe while she dealt with Shippou. They all agreed as they watched Kagome leave with Sesshoumaru while they headed towards the forest once more.

"Miroku? Do you think that Kagome will be all right?" Sango was worried about her little sister. She knew that these transformations could be dangerous, while she stood by the entrance of the cave and watched her disappear with the Youkai Lord.

Miroku came up next to her and put a comforting arm around her shoulder, stating, "I'm sure she will be all right. She is with Lord Sesshoumaru and I know that he will protect her. If Shippou is to survive this, they are his best chance."

They both stood there watching and waiting, until Kagome called for Kirara.

-oOo-

Kagome and Sesshoumaru continued walking until they were back to the ancient tree. Once they were there Kagome put a blanket down and placed Shippou on top. They both sat there and waited until Shippou's body was ready to mature.

They did not have to wait too long for Shippou's body to start its changes. While they were waiting, Kagome noticed that the light of the full moon was hitting the ground lighting up the entire area. It seemed to her that the trees moved their branches to allow the moons rays to touch the ground. As time went by the light of the moon moved closer to Shippou's unconscious body.

Kagome noticed that Shippou's body was starting to glow. His Youki was starting to get stronger as a red hue covered his small frame. She noticed that her pup's breathing was getting labored. He was starting to moan in pain when she moved closer to his body.

She leaned down, putting her arm around his body, she allowed her aura to come forth. Her aura calmed the kit down as it allowed his body to slowly release his power.

Kagome took her hand while her fingers moved his hair out of his eyes. She noticed that he was starting to get his markings. Soon the moons rays were on top of them when suddenly Shippou gave an ear-piercing howl that even hurt Kagome's ears. His body started to buck off the ground while his pain was increased tenfold.

Kagome now had to hold on to Shippou to prevent him from hurting himself, when he was thrashing around. Her aura increased in power trying to subdue the kit but it was not working. He was becoming more powerful and she was having a hard time holding him down.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was standing nearby, watching his little miko. Her instinct was helping her deal with the kit. He noticed that the kits aura was growing in power, he watched when his female comforted the kit. He also observed when she put her arms around his body to keep him calm with her aura.

It was the same aura that she used on Sesshoumaru when she wanted to calm him down or put him to sleep. Even now Sesshoumaru was feeling the effects of her aura when his body started to relax. Sesshoumaru shook his head trying to fight off the feeling that she was evoking in his body.

Then he noticed when the light of the full moon finally hit the kit. Shippou's Youki exploded and he was coming into his true powers. This is the time that his beast will awaken and will come forth. He saw his little miko trying to subdue the kit. But the more her aura flared the more powerful the kit became. He could tell that she did not want to hurt her kit just like any mother would not want to hurt her own pup.

He was about to get the miko away from the kit when the kits power exploded from his body. The miko went flying and landed hard on her back. She was not knocked unconscious but she was hurt nonetheless.

Sesshoumaru watched when the kit rolled over on his hands and knees while his beast started to come from within.

Shippou was in tremendous pain when he howled into the night sky. His body was transforming while his face contorted and shifted. His nose and mouth were pushed forward as a snout came forth forming the Kitsune face. His hands became paws when his hind legs shifted under his weight. His body grew as the red coat of his inner beast covered his body.

Sesshoumaru wasted no time and let his own beast come forth. Then the stone around his neck started to gain power as it shifted Maru's size. Maru grew to be larger than the kit, he reached down and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck. He held the kit still, while he growled, demanding his submission to his alpha.

Shippou had no idea what was going on. All he knew was that he was in tremendous pain and lost consciousness of who he was. He felt something deep inside his body coming forth while he pushed his way out of his body. All he could do was watch. He had no control over his beast when his beast came forth and transformed his body.

He howled in pain, he has finally transformed into his true form. He was breathing hard trying to catch his breath. Shippou was about to run off when he was grabbed by the scruff of the neck by a very large Inu Youkai. He wanted his submission but he was not about to submit to anyone. His youki flared with power when he sent a blast of his fox fire towards the Youkai.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the kit was about to attack him, while his own youki flared to protect him. He held on tight to the kit making sure that he did not let go of him. If he was to escape his grasp the kit will run ramped through the lands and destroy everything.

Maru pulled the kit closer to the ground, he put him underneath his body, pinning him to the ground. He growled deep in this throat telling the kit that he must submit to his alpha or face his wrath.

Shippou continued to struggle in Maru's grasp, he would not submit to him as alpha. He will die first before he submitted to an Inu. He growled, snarled, yipped, and howled his answer to the Inu, then felt more pressure on his neck. He whined in pain until he felt a very soft touch on his face. He opened his eyes and saw a female standing there in front of him with perfect blue eyes.

-oOo-

Kagome was breathing hard. Her ribs hurt from the impact, she just knew that she has broken ribs, while she tried to catch her breath. She was in pain, tremendous pain while she tried to get back up. She didn't expect for her kit to attack her. She was trying hard not to purify him and tried to calm his beast down.

She slowly rolled on her side, she was breathing hard trying to make it to her feet. She opened her eyes and noticed that Maru was holding her pup by the scruff of his neck as he growled at him. She thought that he was demanding his submission but she was not sure.

Kagome wrapped her arm around her ribs and held on to her side, she finally struggled to her feet and made her way back to Sesshoumaru and Shippou. She came around Maru when she saw him eyeing her. He wanted to make sure that Shippou did not hurt her again and then she kneeled on the ground where Shippou was. She reached out with her hand and gently caressed his cheek in a loving way.

She smiled when she saw him opening his eyes, her tears were going down her cheeks. Then Kagome leaned down while gently saying, "My kit, my little Shippou, please submit to your alpha."

Shippou immediately stopped his movements when he recognized the female that was in front of him. She was his mother. She was his world when he felt her comforting aura encircle his body. Kagome's touched soothed his beast as Shippou was slowly gaining control, _'She is our mother! You can't hurt her! We must never hurt our mother. She protects us and cares for us. She is our only alpha and we will submit to her and the male that is with her. I want them together so he can protect her. She deserves that after what the half breed did to her.'_

Shippou's beast considered his words. He remembered being cared for and comforted by this female. He saw all his other halves memories of this female and the way she would care for them. She was like his real mother and she was trying her best to keep him safe. It was about time that they protect her from all the danger in the lands.

Kagome watched to see if Shippou will submit to her as his alpha. She saw his eyes trying to change colors as it went from red to green. Finally, she saw as the Kitsune submitted to his alpha and relaxed in Sesshoumaru's hold.

Maru was happy when the kit finally submitted to him. He released his neck as he started to clean the blood from the area. He did not mean to hurt the kit but it was part of what he had to do to get the Kitsune to submit to him.

Kagome watched when Shippou submitted to her. She smiled as Maru finally released Shippou from his hold and started to lick his neck. She looked and found that her kit was bleeding. Something snapped inside Kagome and then she snarled at Maru. Her aura crackled with power when she challenged the Inu for hurting her pup.

Maru looked up from what he was doing as his eyes grew big. It was the second time that he has seen her eyes turn red when she picked up on the kits blood. She was acting like a protective bitch and it amused him to see this.

Maru growled low in his throat, he quickly reached over and licked her neck in affection. The action was so unexpected that it snapped Kagome out of her anger while Maru continued to heal the kits neck.

Kagome quickly pulled away from the Inu. She was pissed that he hurt her kit but at the same time he snapped her out of her anger when he unexpectedly licked her neck. Her hand was in the area where he licked her. It was warm to the touch and it still tingled from where he touched her. Her heart was beating fast and her breaths were shallow. Her ribs still hurt but she continued to sit there and watched what Maru was doing.

Maru finished cleaning the kits neck as he growled at the kit, _**'Kit I will now let you go. You must stay by us until you have better control over yourself. Do not run off or I will catch and punish you for your disobedience. Do you understand?'**_

Shippou's beast understood and whined his agreement. He was allowed to get up while he looked at his mother. He saw her holding her side and became alarmed. She was hurt because of him, he crawled over to her, whining as he moved. He approached with caution when his head came near her lap. He looked at her with concern, he whined some more and moved closer, nuzzling her under her chin while he tried to offer her some comfort.

Kagome felt when Shippou reached her. She saw his head next to her, she could see the tears rolling down his cheek, he was crying. She reached for the tears wiping them away with her hand, then she gently caressed him. He moves closer to her and nuzzled her under her chin. She understood that he was sorry for hurting her, she took her arms and wrapped them around his snout.

She hugged her kit close to her chest and got him to lay down with his head near her lap. She was stroking the fur on his snout while she gently hummed a lullaby. Her aura came forth as it soothed her kit back to sleep. His beast was finally calming down when he transformed back into his ningen form.

What was once her little Shippou was no more. In his place was a young man. He had no clothes on as his young masculine body lay on his side with his head in her lap and his tail draped over his waist. She could tell that he was almost as tall as she was if not taller.

Shippou's red hair was longer now almost down to his knees. His hands and pawed feet were now fingers and ningen feet. The nice fluffy tail that she loved to stroke was split into four and she was confused. She looked up at Maru with questions in her eyes.

Maru noticed that she had a lot of questions. Now that the kit was back in his ningen form he transformed back into his. He walked over to her side, when he reached her he stood there in front of her while he tried to explain what happened to her kit, "Your kit's tail is split into four to show everyone how powerful he is. The more control he gains the more powerful he will become.

"A Kitsune can have up to 9 tails though it's rare to find one this powerful. His father was one of the rare Youkai with 9 tails. He held tremendous powers and he was a loyal alpha. I have no doubt that his son will be as powerful as his sire."

Kagome listened to what Sesshoumaru was saying. She now understood why his tail was split into four. It means that her little Shippou was very powerful and she was a very proud mother. She sat there stroking his hair while she found peace in that movement.

Sesshoumaru watched his miko as she caressed the Kitsune. He was no longer a kit and he must learn to control the power that he has. But Sesshoumaru still had to talk to the miko. He has marked the Kitsune as a member of his clan. He now has a crescent moon on the back of his neck indicating that he was now part of his pack. He knew the miko was going to take this information hard, he looked back up at her, "Miko, there is something that this Sesshoumaru must tell you."

Kagome was still caressing her kit when she turned her attention back to Sesshoumaru. She nodded indicating that he should continue.

Sesshoumaru braced himself, he knew that she was going to be upset about what he has to say, but there was nothing that he could do if she wanted to save his life, "Miko, during the time that the Kitsune was in his true form he had to submit to me as his alpha. When he did, my fangs imbedded themselves in his neck. He now carries the mark of my pack. This had to be done so that the Kitsune inner Youkai knows who his alpha is. With the mark, I will be able to tell if he loses control over his inner Youkai. He will listen more easily and obey to protect his pack.

"Miko, he could not submit to you as his alpha. You could not mark him as a member of your pack. The only way a Youkai knows where he belongs is to be marked and you have no fangs. But when this journey ends and the jewel is whole once more, your kit must come with me back to the west."

During the time that Sesshoumaru was speaking, Kagome was listening to every word he was saying. Her eyes opened wide when he said that he had marked her kit. She pulled his hair away from his neck, when she saw a dark blue crescent moon. She knew what this meant. She has lost her kit to the Youkai Lord standing in front of her, then he confirmed what she was thinking.

Tears were coming from Kagome's eyes when she realized that she has lost her kit now, all because she could not mark him as a member of her pack. He will not be able to stay with her even if he wanted to. She has read that the mark pulls the Youkai to the pack that he belonged to. His loyalty now belongs to Sesshoumaru instead of her. It broke her heart in the worst ways but it was a small price to pay in knowing that her kit lived through his transformation because Sesshoumaru was there to help him.

She tried to get her emotions under control. She needed to get herself together and go somewhere where she will be able to think clearly on this. It was difficult for her to breathe. Her chest was in so much pain that she didn't know if she will survive this heartbreak.

Sesshoumaru noticed the tears that were going down her cheeks, when what he told her got processed by her mind. It pained him to see her this way but it was the truth and he will not keep that information from her. He saw her nod her understanding of his words while she continued to caress the Kitsune.

Sesshoumaru thought it best to call for her pack, he let his aura go back to the cave calling for the neko. Within minutes her pack was there as Sango ran towards Kagome. She saw that she was crying and asked, "Kagome, are you hurt? Is there anything wrong?"

Kagome shook her head in the negative and softly whispered, "No, there is nothing wrong. Miroku take the blanket and use it to cover Shippou. Then I will need you to take him back to the cave."

Miroku moved swiftly, he got the blanket and covered Shippou with it. He was surprised that Shippou grew so much when he matured. He bent down and picked him up as he turned and moved back towards the cave.

Sango watched when Miroku grabbed Shippou and headed back. She turned her attention to Kagome and noticed that she was holding on to her side. She saw the pain in her eyes and panicked, "Kagome! You're hurt! Here let me help you back to the cave."

Kagome allowed Sango to help her stand. Once she had her legs under her she slowly made her way back towards the cave. By the time she got there Miroku already had Shippou in her sleeping bag and he was putting more wood on the fire. They will need to stay here for a few days to allow Shippou to recover from his ordeal.

Kagome made her way over to the side of the cave, she winced in pain when she sat down with Sango's help. Sango quickly went over to the bag that held the bandages and pulled out some very long and wide strips of cloth. She knew that Kagome must have broken some ribs by the way she was holding her side.

Sango shooed the males out of the cave so she could tend to her sister. There was no way she was going to let Miroku stay in the cave where he will be tempted to look at Kagome. Once the men were out of the cave she helped Kagome out of her kimono.

She was right Kagome seemed to have broken three ribs if the bruises were any indication of it. The side of her chest was black and blue. She took some salve and put it on her injury and then proceeded to wrap her ribs to let them heal. She had no doubt that Kagome will heal faster than she would but the bandages will help protect her ribs while she does.

Sango also noticed that something was not right with Kagome. She has not spoken to her since they returned to the cave. She was worried about her, "Kagome is anything wrong? Are you hurt anywhere else?"

Kagome was still dealing with the loss of her kit when she heard Sango's questions. If anything, she had to keep up a cheerful front for her pack and said in a gentle voice, "No Sango, my ribs is the only injury I have. I'll be fine once I rest."

Sango nodded her understanding but she felt that there was something more that was bothering Kagome. She let it go because she knew that when she was ready she will talk about it. She just had to give her some time.

When Kagome was finally dressed, she called the males back into the cave, then they all got ready for bed. They were all tired and needed to rest.

Sesshoumaru sat outside and thought about what he told the little miko. He hated to give her this kind of news but there was nothing he could do. He had no intension of taking away her kit but he did have every intension of bringing her pack into his. He just needed to return to his normal form so he could claim what was his.

He turned when he heard what the slayer asked the miko. He could hear the pain in her voice as she tries to reassure the slayer that she was fine. He knew that the miko would not be willing to share the information that he imparted with her pack. She respected his wishes that what they discussed in private will stay private.

He was brought out of his thoughts when the slayer called to say that they can reenter the cave once more. They all walked back in when he placed his Tenseiga in the ground to protect the pack for the night. The barrier that formed in front of the cave will make it appear that the outside of the cave was shear rock and no one will disturb them for the rest of the night.

He observed as the pack got ready to retire for the night. The slayer went over and checked the Kitsune while she covered him up some more and then went to lay down herself. The neko was lying next to her and the monk took his position opposite the slayer. The monk has learned to cure his own curse, now he was acting in a respectable manner.

Once the ningens were asleep he turned his attention to the miko. She was still awake and looking out of the cave entrance into the night. Her aura was a sad one, then he made his way over to her.

She was sitting up against the cave wall with her legs crossed in front of her. Her hands were in her lap, then he jumped up and landed on her knee. She didn't even move when he made his way into her hands and sat down. He turned his body towards her and snuggled closer to her stomach. He growled gently that was soothing to her while he looked up and saw that her eyes were slowly closing. His deep growl was relaxing her just like he hoped when she finally fell asleep.

He snuggled closer to her body while he too finally found sleep himself.

-oOo-

The next day the pack found that Kagome and Shippou were still asleep while they went about making the morning meal. They saw Sesshoumaru near Kagome, he was sitting by her side making sure that no one disturbed her slumber. They all knew that she needed to rest to heal her broken ribs.

When Sango woke, she found four dead rabbits and looked at the Youkai Lord. She knew that he was the one to go hunting, she grabbed two of them and took them outside to clean so she could start breakfast. She left two of them for Sesshoumaru and Shippou. She knew that Shippou will crave blood and raw meat now that he has matured into his almost adult form.

From Sango's point of view Shippou looked like a 16-year-old. His features were more matured now and she was willing to bet that he was almost as tall as she was. She gazed at his sleeping form, and thought, _'Shippou has really grown to be a handsome Youkai. His face is still the sweet Kitsune that I know but he looks older. Gone are his puffy cheeks and small paw like hands. Now he has real fingers with deadly claws. I have no doubt that he can cut another Youkai in half if he had to. From what I saw last night he also has four tails which makes him very powerful for a Kitsune._

' _All of the Kitsune that I have seen only had two or three tails. Shippou has four which makes him more powerful than the ones that are still alive. I wonder how many tails his father had? If he has four, then I'm willing to bet that his father had at least 6 or 7 tails. I have never heard of a nine tail Kitsune in this region. So, it will be interesting to see how Shippou develops.'_

Sango continued to think about what has happened with her little group while she cooked the morning meal. After about an hour she finally finished the meal, but she was having issues on what to do with the liver and heart of the kill. She knew what to do when it was Kagome who hunted for their meal but it was Sesshoumaru who hunted for them this morning and it was his kills.

She was almost in a state of panic when she saw that Shippou was moving. She sat up straight to watch him. Not wanting to get close to him just in case he did not recognize anyone from his pack.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Shippou matured into his adult form but now that Sesshoumaru has claimed him as a pack member Kagome is upset. She knows what this means and she understands what she must do to protect her kit.

In the next chapter Kagome still holds out hope that Shippou will accept her as his alpha. But all her dreams were shattered when he doesn't. Now she must continue with her journey to find the jewel shards.

Inuyasha comes back into the picture, he challenges Kagome and demands her submission to him as her alpha, which we know Kagome will not do.

Join me in the next chapter as we see what happens.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Shippou was slowly waking up. His body hurt but he noticed that his hearing has gotten better since he was hearing everyone's heartbeat. He raised his hand and rubbed his forehead. His head was buzzing when he tried to remember what happened to him. He was getting agitated when he heard a deep and soothing voice in his mind. _**'Kit… calm yourself. You still don't have full control over your inner beast and if you fight against him you will let him out once again. Do as I say and I will help you through these feelings that you are having.'**_

Shippou relaxed and calmed his mind. He could feel that something was there with him and turned his mind inward to see if he could figure out what it was. There in his mind was his beast, which all other Youkai have. It was the other half of him that he could now feel. _'What happened to me? Why do I sense my inner beast now?'_

Sesshoumaru was trying to talk the kit through what he needed to do as he explained, _**'You matured last night. It was the night of the full moon and during this time any pup that is ready to mature does. If your parents were still alive they would have helped you through your transformation.'**_

Shippou thought about this and the voice, which he determined to be Sesshoumaru, was right. If his mother and father would have been alive they would have helped him through his transformation. But he was confused, _'Then who helped me through the transformation last night?'_

' _ **The miko and myself helped you through your transformation. Your inner Youkai submitted to me as your alpha.'**_ This news alarmed Shippou as he struggled to wake up. He was getting upset while he thought, _'Where is my mother? Did I hurt her last night?'_ were his more immediate concerns.

Sesshoumaru tried to calm the Kitsune once more, _**'Kit I suggest you calm yourself before you do hurt her. You did her no damage last night. She is fine and is still sleeping. Her main concern is you and if you let your inner beast out again I must subdue you. Now calm your mind and do as I say. I will teach you how to control your beast.'**_

Shippou calmed once he knew that he didn't hurt his mother. He will deal with the Youkai Lord later. Right now, he had to pay attention on how to handle his beast. He was powerful and Sesshoumaru was helping him keep his control over him.

Slowly Sesshoumaru taught Shippou what he needed to know while he got his control over his beast. Once Shippou was in control he slowly opened his eyes. At first his eyes were blurred. After a few minutes, they came into focus. He was surprised to see that his vision was sharper than before. His hearing was also more acute. He could hear all the birds that were outside chirping.

He moved his hand up and looked at them. They were larger than before. He also noticed that he had fingers rather than paws. He flexed them opening and closing his hands as he looked on in awe. It will be easier for him to grab things with his hands.

He slowly sat up and looked around. He saw Sango and Miroku sitting by the fire while they were watching him. He looked down and noticed that he had no clothes on and tried to keep his lower half covered. He knew that ningens were very modest beings and him being naked will not do.

He turned his head looking for his mother. He saw her sitting to his right, she was sitting up against the wall sleeping. She looked tired and he noticed right away that she was hurt. He was about to get up to go to her when he heard the Youkai Lord say, "Kit I would reframe from getting up. You have no kimono on."

Shippou forgot that he was naked, you could see the frustration on his face, but he got rid of it and turned his attention towards Sesshoumaru and asked in a mature voice, "Is mama alright?"

Sesshoumaru looked at the kit, trying to determine his frame of mind. It would not due for him to get angry now and let his beast get free. He heard his question and answered, "She is just sleeping. Her injuries were minor. We were able to subdue your inner beast before it could break free and hurt anyone. Your mother would never willingly hurt you if you lost control last night. But luckily for us we succeeded in what we had to do."

Shippou was happy with this, he turned his attention to Sango and asked, "Sango, do you think you can find me a new kimono?"

Sango snapped out of her thoughts when she heard Shippou's question. She nodded her head and went to Kagome's bag. Kagome told her last night that she has some new kimonos for Shippou in her bag as she searched. She found what she was looking for and pulled it out of the bag for Shippou. She pulled out a black hakama and a dark blue haori. There was a white juban for him to wear and a black sash.

She walked over to Shippou and handed him his kimono. Shippou noticed the light blush on her cheeks as he took his kimono from her. He grabbed the blanket that was on top of him and wrapped it around his waist. Once he was covered he slowly got to his feet and tested them.

It was strange standing up on feet rather than having paws. His balance was a lot better when he grabbed his kimono and walked outside.

Shippou walked into the forest to get dressed. His mother always knew how to make his kimono and he was very happy with this new one. He stopped when he was away from the cave and found a fudoshi inside his hakama. He quickly wrapped it around his lower portion, he then slipped into his hakama. They were a perfect fit for him while he tied it in place. Then he put on the juban and haori, when he got everything tied he put the sash around his waist. He looked at his new kimono and nodded in approval.

His haori had stitching of the forest along with little Kitsune's running along the edge of the kimono. He never knew how his mother made these but she was good at it. Once he was dressed he decided to stretch his legs and took off running. It felt good to run and have the wind hit you in the face. He felt whole for the first time in his life and he was happy.

He turned and went back to the cave after he ran off his excess energy. He knew that he must train to perfect his powers but that must wait for today. He wanted to make sure that his mother was all right and dashed back towards the cave to be by her side.

Within minutes he was at the cave when he walked back in. He looked around the area noticing the wide eyes of Sango when she looked at him. He could also tell that Miroku was in shock. He was a lot taller now. He was nowhere near Sesshoumaru's height but he was no longer the small Kitsune they have known these past few years.

He was walking over to his mother when he noticed that Sesshoumaru was sitting next to her. He approached the Youkai Lord and kneeled a respectful distance away from him, barring his neck in submission. When he heard Sesshoumaru's approval to approach, he came closer. He bowed towards Sesshoumaru in respect and then turned his attention towards his mother. He took in her scent and it was still the sweet-smelling scent that always soothed him when he was hurt or upset.

When Shippou was satisfied that his mother was all right he moved away from her, and went to get something to eat. To his surprise, Sango had fresh meat for him, when she offered him the bowl she was holding in her hands.

He took his food and gave his thanks. He then moved away from his friends and went to eat his food, he chose to go outside to eat. He knew that they have not been subjected to seeing him eat raw meat and he was not going to start now. He came back a few minutes later with an empty bowl.

The day passed by slowly, Kagome was still sleeping and her pack didn't know what to do without their alpha, Sesshoumaru and Shippou stepped outside to train. Sesshoumaru thought it best to teach Shippou how to keep his beast under control and to see just how powerful he was, plus this will give him an idea on where to start on his training.

The males all left the cave while Sango stayed behind with Kagome. She was still asleep and they had no idea when she would wake up.

It was not until late afternoon when Kagome finally woke up from her sleep. She opened her eyes to find that everyone was gone from the cave, she slowly got up and stretched her tired body. Her side was still sore but it did not hurt as bad as it did last night.

She stretched her senses out to see where her pack was located. They were all outside the cave and slowly made her way there. She saw Shippou standing in front of the cave when he let a big blast of his fox fire go. It was ten times more powerful than before when he took out the dead tree he was aiming for. There was nothing left of the tree once he was done, nothing but a barren hole in the middle of the clearing.

Kagome saw him smile and it filled her heart with joy to see him so happy. She saw him stop what he was doing and turned in her direction. Within seconds he was in front of her. He was just a little taller than her now while he looked down at her. He leaned down and nuzzled her under her chin and licked her neck in greetings.

Kagome closed her eyes when she felt her son. He was alive and well but things could not be as before. Before she had a chance to say anything, Shippou stepped back while he lowered his head and whispered, "I'm sorry mama for hurting you. I never meant to hurt you."

Kagome wanted to reach out with her hand and caress her kit but she had to restrain herself from doing so. He was no longer a member of her pack. He was a male from another pack and not her beta anymore. It hurt her deeply to have to do this but she did not have any choice in the matter.

Kagome heard the soft words that came from Shippou. His voice has gotten deeper than it used to be. He has two red stripes on each side of his cheeks and a blue flame in the middle of his forehead. His four tails were moving rapidly in all directions. "That is all right Shippou. I knew that you didn't do it on purpose. You were in a lot of pain last night and didn't know what you were doing. How are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine mama. Lord Sesshoumaru was teaching me how to control my inner beast. He is teaching me everything that I need to know on how to handle him." An excited Shippou stated then he showed her his latest attacks.

Kagome smiled inwardly at Shippou's antics when she saw the Youkai Lord standing off to the side. She turned walking towards him. When she reached him, she bowed and said in a low voice that only he could hear, "I thank you Lord Sesshoumaru for teaching my kit. Please take good care of him."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head indicating that he heard her thanks. He saw the appreciation in her eyes but he also noticed that there was pain there as well. She was acting a little differently this morning towards the kit.

It seems that his little miko has come to a decision and he was not sure if he should be happy about it or not. He observed her closing her eyes and he knew what she was looking for. "Miko the hot springs is over there to the left. The slayer knows where it is and she will take you there."

Kagome opened her eyes when she noticed that Sango was coming towards her with her bag in her hand. She must have gone after it once she came outside. She thanked her friend while they both turn and went towards the hot springs.

Sesshoumaru shook his head. She was diffidently the cleanest ningen he has ever met. She bathes everyday if she has the chance. From what he has observed she loved her time in the water as it always relaxed her. But this time he did not follow her. He turned his attention towards the kit and said, "Come, we will go hunting for the evening meal. You must learn how to hunt to provide for yourself and your pack."

Shippou agreed and followed the Youkai Lord into the forest. He was eager to learn all the things that he should have learned when he was younger. Now he has someone that is willing to teach him and he was hungry for the knowledge.

-oOo-

Sango and Kagome went to the hot springs. Removing the bandages Sango looked at the area that was injured. She noticed that the discoloration that was there the previous day was almost gone. There was just a little bit left and when she ran her hand along Kagome's side she noticed that her ribs no longer felt tender to the touch. She was happy that her sister was almost healed.

Sango looked up from her work and stated, "Your ribs are almost back to normal. There is only a little bit of a bruise left on your side, by tomorrow it should be all gone."

Kagome knew that she had healed her ribs but it was the satisfaction that she got when she saw the relief in Sango's eyes. She didn't need Sango's attention but it seemed to be important to her so she let Sango fuss over her as she pleased.

Once Sango was satisfied that her wounds were healed they both striped and went into the hot springs. The water was a little warmer than what they were used to but it felt good on their muscles. They both sat down and relaxed as they let the worry that has been plaguing them for the last few days leave their body.

Sango had her head back with her eyes closed when a thought came to her mind. "I hope that Miroku doesn't interrupt our time out here. He has been behaving here lately but I know that it can't last for too much longer."

Kagome opened her eyes and looked at Sango. She thought about what she said and replied, "Sango, Miroku will not come out here. If he does, then he will be banished from my pack."

Sango quickly sat up and looked at Kagome. Her friend had a serious expression on her face, "You can't mean that Kagome, you have never taken such a strong stand against Miroku's actions. Why would you banish him from the pack?"

Kagome knew that Sango had no knowledge of what happened in the village before they left. "Sango, on the day that Miroku did his punishment at the river, he embarrassed me in front of the village woman. I caught him doing obscene acts while he was washing the garments and it wasn't until he felt my presence that he stopped what he was doing.

"He was not taking his punishment seriously and he begged me not to banish him. He wanted another chance to prove that he can behave himself. That's why you have not seen him doing anything out of line. I meant what I told him that day and I will banish him if he steps out of line one more time."

Sango was shocked to hear all of this. She had no knowledge of what happened back in Edo. She looked up at Kagome and asked, "You really wouldn't banish him, would you?"

Kagome set her heart to stone. She knew that she could not back down from this. She was alpha of their pack and she required respect from all its members. "Yes, Sango I will if he disobeys my orders. You must understand that I require respect from the members of my pack. If he is not willing to follow my orders, then he will leave my pack.

"I will never do anything to knowingly hurt my pack and if you all request that I leave then I will. I would rather do that than hurt any of you."

Sango was at a loss for words on what to say to Kagome. She did not want to lose her sister but at the same time she did not want to lose Miroku either. She was torn between them, when she heard Kagome continue, "But right now Miroku is proving that he can keep his word and he is trying hard not to let his lecherous side come out. He is showing a lot of self-control which he has never done. There is only one reason that he wants to stay in this pack Sango, and only one reason. He is in love with you and he will do anything to prove that he can be a good husband to you."

Sango thought about what Kagome said and she was right. Miroku has not touched her butt in a long time. She thought that he lost interest in her but he was showing her that he respects her enough to control his hand on her body.

A light blush came to her cheeks while she shyly says, "Kagome I understand what you are saying and I stand behind your decision. You are a great alpha and I don't want to leave your side. But at the same time, I miss Miroku's attention to me. To be honest, there for a minute I thought that he wasn't interested in me anymore."

Kagome was shocked out of her mind at Sango's declaration. She could not believe that Sango enjoyed Miroku groping her butt. "Sango if you encourage him to grope you then I will not punish him. But be sure of what you want because if he starts with his lecherous ways I don't want it to go beyond you. My punishment still stands if he ever embarrasses me again."

Sango understood what Kagome was saying and she was happy with that. They both relaxed once again as they enjoyed the nice warm water. Soon they started to wash and Sango noticed that Kagome mood was still the same.

Kagome was quiet and withdrawn, and she wanted to know what was wrong with her. She seemed distant right now and not acting like herself. "Kagome is something wrong? You seem distant and you are not acting like your normal self. Is there anything that I can do for you?"

Kagome was brought out of her thoughts about Shippou when she heard Sango's question. She did not want to tell her what was going on. This was between her and Sesshoumaru.

For now, her son was going to be traveling with her. But at the end of this journey it will be a different story when Sesshoumaru returns to his normal form. "There is nothing wrong Sango. There is a lot that I must think about and there is nothing you can do to help. But give me some time and maybe later I will tell you what I'm thinking about."

Sango let the subject drop. The tone of voice that Kagome used told her that this was an issue that she had to deal with on her own. They both finished their bath as they got out of the water before they looked like prunes. When they were done getting dressed they returned to the cave that Sesshoumaru was letting them use.

When they got back they noticed that Miroku was sitting down by the fire and he was meditating. Shippou and Sesshoumaru were gone and they were nowhere in the area that Kagome could detect. Kagome's heart started to beat faster thinking that Sesshoumaru has taken her son away from her without her knowledge.

Kagome walked into the cave and retrieved her bow and quiver of arrows. She put the quiver of arrows on her back, and walked back out of the cave, saying to her pack while she walked passed them, "I will return in a little while. I want you two to stay here and wait for Shippou and Sesshoumaru to return."

Miroku saw how upset Kagome was. He had a thought on what could be making her upset and quickly stated, "Kagome, Sesshoumaru and Shippou should be back here soon. They went hunting. Sesshoumaru wanted to show Shippou how to hunt, so they should be returning shortly."

Kagome understood what Miroku was saying. She needed time to herself, "Just tell them that I will return soon."

They both watched when Kagome walked away from camp. Sango leaned into Miroku for support, wondering what could be wrong with her little sister, "Oh Miroku I don't know what is wrong with Kagome. She is not acting like herself. To me it looks like she is trying to come to terms with something and doesn't know what to do."

Miroku put his arm around Sango's shoulder and offered her some comfort. He heard what Sango was saying and her opinions, then he added his own thoughts, "I think that Shippou transformation has something to do with the way Kagome is acting. She might be feeling that she has lost Shippou. He grew up right before her eyes and she never expected for him to mature this quickly.

"Remember what Sesshoumaru told us, Youkai mature differently than ningen children. He also said something that has me thinking. He said that Shippou's illusions spells were very powerful and that he was hiding his true form from us. If Shippou was hiding his true age and size from us, and he created an illusion that made him smaller and younger, he did it so we could take care of him.

"Shippou might have thought that if he appeared to be a small and defenseless kit that someone would take him in and care for him. Remember we have no idea how long he was on his own before Kagome and Inuyasha found him. He could have been older than he said he was just so Kagome could help him defeat the thunder brothers."

Sango thought about all of this and it held merit. It would explain how Kagome was acting here lately. She could only hope that what Miroku was saying was true and that Kagome will find it in her heart to come to terms with what has happened here lately.

-oOo-

Kagome walked away from her friends and went to find a place where she could sit down and think. She needed to get her thoughts together about everything that has happened so far. She continued walking until she reached the area with the ancient trees.

For some reason, she found peace in this area, she walked towards the oldest tree and sat down under his large branches. She leaned back and touched the trunk with her back, finally relaxing. She closed her eyes and started to go through everything that has happened to her so far.

She went through everything and the one thing that pained her the most was the loss of her kit. Tears started to come to her eyes, she quickly sat forward and wrapped her arms around her knees. There was a pain so great in her chest that she could hardly breathe. She felt like her life was leaving her body. Her chest was constricting not allowing her to catch her breath. She sobbed so loud that it echoed through the forest and could be heard by anyone who was near.

She buried her face in her knees while she started to rock back and forth letting go of her sorrow. She was trying to calm down before it became too great for her to deal with. But the loss, in her mind, was just too great.

She understood that she still had her kit but the feeling that he now belonged to Sesshoumaru's pack pained her the most. He must leave her when the jewel was finally complete. She knew that Sesshoumaru will not stay with her after that.

She would have stayed here in the feudal era if Shippou was still by her side. But with him maturing and belonging to another pack, his loyalties belonged to Sesshoumaru. There was nothing that she could do about it and it pained her, yet again, that someone she dearly loved would leave her once more.

On one hand, she was glad that he did not die when he matured, from what Sesshoumaru has told her this is the worst transformation that a Youkai will ever go through.

She understood that children grow up and leave the nest per say, but there were other things involved with Shippou belonging to another pack. She could no longer let him get close to her. He was a male that belonged to another pack and she was an unmated female. By Youkai law any male can make a claim against a female and she was not about to be claimed by her own son. If this happened, he could get hurt if another male challenged him for the right to mate.

She must force herself to push him away from her to protect him. She did not like this idea at all but it would be for the best to make sure that he stays safe.

Kagome knew that she was going after Koga and he will see her kit as a threat now that he has matured. She was still alpha of her pack and had to act as such.

The tears continued to go down her face when she felt the pain in her chest grow. It was a pain so great that she thought she might have a heart attack. It made it hard for her to breathe, while she continued to cry heart felt sobs. She was inconsolable, she continued to rock herself, you could clearly see the stress she was under and if she didn't get control and soon, things will not go well for her.

Kagome's pain was so great that the trees in the area were reacting to her upset. Their branches moved to offer the little miko some comfort but whatever they did it went completely unnoticed by the female.

Then the tree she was sitting under took matters into his own branches. He started to glow a bright yellow, then the leaves from the surrounding trees started to move. They gathered together and moved in a circle. Soon the ball of leaves gathered near the little miko and a body started to appear.

It was an old man as old as time itself. His weathered features told of his age. He had a long white beard that came down to his knees. The top of his head was bald, the hair that he had left went in a straight line from ear to ear across the back of his head. It was long and silver in color, it dropped well past his waist.

He wore a brown robe and a black sash. He carried a long staff that looked like a piece of the old tree Kagome was sitting under.

The old man turned his brown eyes toward the little miko. He could feel her pain and walked closer to her. He wanted to see if he could help her and to see if he could alleviate some of her pain. It would not do for the person that was the future of these lands to be so upset.

Yes, he knew who she was, his son has told him of the little female that comes from the future. He has watched her for the last few years while she matured into the female that she is now. She was coming into her full powers and soon she will have full control over them.

She was the future of these lands and he knew it. But he also knew that she was in pain right now and he could not have her like this. He walks towards her, he seemed to float above the ground, never making any noise while he moved, and when he finally reaches the little miko he sits down in front of her.

His eyes soften and when he spoke his voice was deep and soothing. "Little miko why do you cry so?"

Kagome heard a nice soothing voice and looked up from her position. She never detected the old man coming near her and he was sitting down right in front of her. She found his voice soothing and could not stop herself from answering his question, "Everything that I love leaves me. First my father dies and leaves me alone. Then the one I loved betrayed me for a dead corpse that is as cold as ice, and today I have lost the kit that I call my son.

"He matured last night and is now a full-grown Youkai. Soon he will leave me to go with his new alpha. I don't understand why all this is happening. It hurts, it hurts so much that I think I will die from a broken heart."

The old man listened to what the little miko was saying to him, he let his aura grow and wrapped it around her body. It seemed to sooth the little miko and she calmed just a bit, "My little one, everything in life matures and moves on. They find a mate and settle down to have a family of their own. As the years go on they grow older and soon they die. I have seen countless of Youkai and ningens start their lives when they were born and have seen them take their last breath when they die.

"I understand that you are hurting now but I'm sure that you understand that at least he is alive and well, but as a mother you should have been expecting this. You knew that he would grow and mature, when that happened you knew he would leave to start a life all his own. But let me ask you this, is his new pack one that will mistreat him?"

Kagome stopped her crying while she was listening to the old man speak. His voice was soothing and it held her attention. Yes, she knew that Shippou would grow up and leave one day but she did not think it would be this soon.

She heard his question and replied, "No his new pack will take care of him, of this I'm sure of. Lord Sesshoumaru is a Youkai with honor and he will never let anything happen to him. But Youkai laws are almost set in stone. He does not belong to me anymore, when Sesshoumaru leaves my pack he must go with him. I will not be able to see him again."

The old man nodded his understanding. Yes, the kit must go with Sesshoumaru but he also knew that Sesshoumaru loved this little miko with all his being. He will not take her son away from her like she is thinking.

Kagome sat there and calmed herself down. She wiped the tears away from her eyes and relaxed. She looked up again and looks at the old man, "I'm sorry for my behavior, I have not introduced myself to you, my name is Kagome."

The old man smiled at the little miko, "Do not worry little one, my name is Konokarei."

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she heard his name. "You are the leaf spirit? The guardian of the lands?"

Konokarei chuckled at the little miko's reaction to his name, "Yes I am the guardian of these lands. My children inhabit these lands and provide for everyone. I, like you, am in pain when my children die. It pains me to see that the individuals that live on these lands don't care enough to protect them.

"My children have been growing on these lands since the beginning of time. They provide shelter, warmth, and even food for some of the lands. Yet there are those who would destroy one of them for their own amusement.

"My children have to endure the elements of nature. Some are killed when the winds blow hard over the lands. But those that die were weak and it was their time to die. But even in death they live on as they provide shelter for those who need it.

"Is it not true that in your era there are few of my children left on these lands?"

Kagome was shocked to hear those words from his lips. "How do you know that I'm not from this era?"

Konokarei chuckled at her words, "My son, the tree that is by the village of Edo, Goshinboku, has told me about you. You see he is the guardian of time and he has seen what the lands will become in five hundred years. It is something that I wish would not happen. Without the trees, the land will weaken, and soon thereafter it will not be able to provide for everyone on the lands. Even you have felt the imbalance of the lands in your era."

Kagome was stunned she had no idea that this old man knew where she came from. But what he was telling her was the truth. There is an imbalance in her era, without the trees the lands seemed to be crying. There is a heavy burden being placed on the lands and the ningens take and take but never give anything back in return.

Trees were hardly seen in her era. The only place where they were located were on the shrines grounds around the city and the few parks that were still there. It was against the law to cut them down and when they are damaged by the weather another is planted in its place.

Kagome sighed deeply at the thought of her home, "You are correct in saying that in the future there will be very few trees. The lands where my shrine is located will still have trees in the area but the rest of the lands will not. I can feel the land crying out to me but I can't do anything to help it. There are no Youkai alive in my era so I don't know what will happen to my kit in the future."

Kagome's mind turned back to her kit as a lone tear started to go down her cheek. The old man succeeded in getting her mind off her kit for just a little while but now she was thinking about him again.

Konokarei thought for a few minutes on what he could do to help her, then he had a thought, "Here miko I would like to show you something." He picked up his hand as the leaves that were on the ground started to gather in his palm. They were moving quickly in a circle as a picture started to form in the middle of it.

Kagome watched when Konokarei showed her where her kit was located. She watched in morbid fascination, he was being taught by Sesshoumaru how to hunt. She saw the frustration on her kits features when he failed in stalking his prey. She could see Sesshoumaru's calm demeanor when he again corrected her kit in what he was doing wrong.

Kagome watched eagerly when her kit tried again and to her delight he succeeded in killing a deer. She was very proud of him at that moment. She knew in her heart that her kit would give her the heart and liver of his first kill. If he did, then he was showing her that she was his alpha and will never leave her. She had to head back to camp and wait for him.

She was about to get up when she saw her son going towards Sesshoumaru and lay his kill in front of the Youkai Lord. She watched with pained filled eyes when Shippou, opened the deer and pulled out the heart and liver. Then she witnessed when he offered it to Sesshoumaru. That little act by her kit told her that she was no longer his alpha.

The tears continued to go down her cheeks while she watched to see what Sesshoumaru would do. He accepted the heart and liver of his kill as was his right as alpha. Then she saw him cut each piece in two and stated, "The heart and liver of your first kill will be shared between us. Let this give you strength to provide for your pack in the future."

Kagome could not look on any more when they started to eat the heart and liver. She now knew what she had to do and it was not going to be easy. She turned her attention to Konokarei and said, "I thank you for showing me what my… what Shippou was doing. He now has a new alpha to follow and I wish him the best."

Konokarei looked at the little miko with a raised eyebrow, he heard the bite to her voice in what she witnessed, "I showed you what he was doing so you could see that he is learning what he should have learned when he was a young kit. He is now playing catch up with the rest of the Kitsune in the area.

"Miko you gave an orphaned kit a way to survive until he was able to mature. You even protected him during this time. In the kits eyes, you are his mother. But never forget that there are others on these lands that have no one that cares for them.

"You are a miko, one of the purest miko that I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Your soul is untainted by anything and your heart is so pure that it does not matter what race the individual is. You see them for who and what they are, not for the color of their skin or where they come from.

"You are also starting to come into your full powers and you must be careful. You must train to develop them. I will help you in this area. At night when your group has finally stopped for the evening you will go off alone into the forest. There I will meet you and we will go through some exercises that will bring the rest of your powers out of your body. Once this is done then it will be time for the final battle with Naraku.

"But you must be careful with him. He is after you for your powers and he will do anything to get you. So be on guard."

Kagome heard his words and agreed to meet him in the forest when her pack stopped for the night. She knew that Naraku was after her and now she knew why. She must be on guard from now on. "I thank you Leaf spirit for your caring words this night. I look forward to seeing you tomorrow night."

Kagome got up from the ground and bowed deeply to the spirit. She then went hunting for her pack. Sesshoumaru no longer needed her to provide him with a meal now that he had Shippou who could hunt for them both.

She set her shoulders back and walked away with her head held high. It was time that she started to act like the alpha she was.

-oOo-

Kagome found a nice plump rabbit that will due for dinner. After she killed it she went back to camp. She noticed that Sesshoumaru and Shippou were not back yet, while she gave the rabbit to Sango so she can start the evening meal.

Kagome took a seat away from the fire and sat against a tree. She closed her eyes while she tried to relax. It has been a very exhausting day and she needed to rest.

Sango noticed that Kagome was acting strangely. The first indication that something was wrong was that she only brought back one rabbit to feed all of them. She would usually hunt for at least 3 rabbits to feed everyone.

She also noticed that Kagome's features were hard. Gone was the light in her eyes that would normally be there for her group. She sees before her a powerful female and every bit the alpha that she is. She shook her head out of her thought and started to get dinner ready.

Miroku noticed when the little miko came back to camp. Her emotions have changed since she went into the forest. Her powers have grown again and she was carrying herself as a true alpha. He has never seen this side of Kagome before and he has no idea why she was acting this way. He will have to wait and see what happens when Sesshoumaru and Shippou come back to camp.

Sango was concerned that there will not be enough food for everyone to eat when she approached her alpha with her concerns. "Kagome, there may not be enough meat to feed everyone."

To Sango's surprised Kagome never opened her eyes and stated, "Lord Sesshoumaru and Shippou will not need to eat. They have already caught their food for tonight. What I have brought back will feed my pack."

Sango's eyes opened wide when she heard Kagome's statement. It sent warning bells to her mind, she was wondering what Kagome meant by her pack, "But Kagome isn't Shippou a part of this pack?"

Kagome never moved from her position, her body was still relaxed against the tree that she was leaning on, "No, he no longer belongs to this pack. He now belongs to Lord Sesshoumaru's pack."

Sango was in shock when she heard what Kagome said to her. _'How could Shippou not be a part of her pack anymore?'_ But before she could ask another question she heard Kagome say, "Sango, I do not want to talk about this right now. What I said stands and that is all you need to know."

Sango got her message loud and clear. She moved away from Kagome while she continued to make the evening meal. Miroku came over to her while they both sat together and talked quietly with each other. They were at a loss about what was going on. They did not know that much about Youkai traditions. They depended on Kagome to teach them and now something has happened that Kagome does not consider her own kit part of her pack.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was very proud of the kit. He was a fast learner, he learned everything that he should have learned when he was younger in one night. They had gorged themselves on Shippou's first kill. The ritual having been done and his acceptance of him as his alpha was the height of their hunt together. They hunted one more deer to take back to the little miko's pack.

Shippou was very proud of himself when he entered the camp. He saw how proud Sango was of him for hunting for the pack. His eyes were bright with excitement then looked for his mother. He saw her sitting off on her own away from the pack. He thought this to be weird but he went towards her with what he has brought for dinner.

He approached her with care and then he laid the carcass down on the ground in front of her. He bared his neck in submission to her and waited for her to acknowledge him.

To Shippou's surprise she never acknowledged him, he thought this odd because his mother always knew when he was near her. His first thought was that she was asleep against the tree, so that is why she didn't acknowledge him. He tried to move closer to her when he heard her warning to stay away. He turned his full attention to his mother, "Mama? I have brought you my first kill."

Kagome sensed when her kit came back to camp and Sesshoumaru was with him. Shippou came near her and dropped his offering to her. She did not acknowledge him meaning that she was refusing his offer.

When she sensed that he was coming closer to her she growled low and steady warning him to keep his distance from her. She opened her eyes and then looked at her kit. Her eyes were hard and stern, she wanted nothing from him, then warned him to keep his distance. Kagome looked closely at her kit, he has matured into a handsome Youkai but she could not accept his offer, to do so will mean that she is accepting his suit and she will not accept anything from him.

Kagome got up as she started to leave the area, when Shippou tried to follow her. She snarled as a barrier was put around her body to stop him from getting closer to her.

Shippou was at a loss. He did not understand why his mother was rejecting what he brought for her. He tried to follow her but her barrier made it clear that she did not want his offer. He was heartbroken, while he asked in a low voice, "Mama, what have I done to make you reject me like this?"

Kagome could do nothing for her kit. He has a new pack now that he belongs to and that is where his loyalties must lie. "I do not want your kill. It is not your first. You have accepted Sesshoumaru as your alpha and there is where your loyalties lay. You are no longer a member of my pack." She continued on her way, moving deeper into the forest.

Shippou was devastated. She knew, his mother knew that this was not his first kill and that he had offered Sesshoumaru the heart and liver first. He knew it was a mistake to do so but he felt indebted to Sesshoumaru for teaching him so much.

He lowered his head, while his body shook with the force of his tears. He never thought that his mother would find out what he did. He felt Sango approaching him while she tried to console him.

Sesshoumaru was in shock when he noticed that his little miko rejected the kits offer. He never thought that she would find out that the kits first kill was given to him. He watched as the kit was crying his eyes out over his mother rejection.

He turned looking for the miko and she was gone from the area. He went after her to see what was wrong with her. He never thought that she would reject the kit as part of her pack. Yes, he knew that what he did meant that the kit was now part of his pack but he never thought that the miko would reject him like this. She was acting like an Inu bitch in every way and he did not understand why.

He followed her deep into the forest when he came upon a large lake. He found her there sitting under a tree while she was looking at the stars. He has often seen her do this and he was wondering why she would just sit there and look at the sky.

He approached slowly making sure that she did not perceive him as a threat to her. When he was closer he heard her growls of warning to him. It was the first time that she has growled at him in this fashion. He was not used to it when he stated, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru wishes to speak to you."

Kagome sighed heavily. She did not want to talk to anyone at the moment. She has just rejected her only kit and was highly upset. She wanted time alone with her thoughts, "Lord Sesshoumaru, this Kagome does not wish to speak to you at the moment. Please leave."

Sesshoumaru was shocked at the formal tone of her voice. She has never talked to him in this manner before. But he was not going to back down until he found out a few things. "Why did you reject your own kit?"

Kagome snarled when she stood and turned towards the Youkai Lord. She wanted some peace for once in her life and she was going to get it dammit! "Why do you think that I have rejected him? First, he lies and tells me that he brought me his first kill. Do you think that I wouldn't find out what he did?

"I know that he gave his first kill to you meaning that he has accepted you as his alpha. No matter what I want he is no longer a member of my pack. He belongs to you and as such I will not accept anything from him. He is a male from another pack and if I accept his offer it will appear that I have accepted his suit. I will have no part in that.

"I suggest that from now on you keep your pack members in line and show me the respect that I require as an alpha of my own pack, because if he comes near me again I will have to hurt him."

Sesshoumaru was blown away with her statement. He did not think of this when he offered to help the kit. But she has seen every part of what he has done and has thought out to what others will perceive if she acted the same way as before with the kit.

His miko was correct in her thinking. "You are correct miko and I offer my apologies for my packs mistake. It will not happen again."

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru words while she started to walk away from him. Sesshoumaru knew enough not to go after her when she was this upset. She will attack him if he over stepped his limits with her. Right now, she was upset at losing her kit. Plus, she just had to do the hardest thing any mother would need to do to protect her kit.

Oh yes, he understood why she did it. If she gave the impression that she accepted the kits suit, there will be other males that will challenge him for the right to mate. The kit could be killed if he accepted the challenge from another male. He will just have to leave her alone to make sure that she calms down before she comes back to camp.

He slowly made his way back. He knew that he could leave her alone in this place because there was no danger to her within his barrier. He needed to check on the kit to make sure that he has not lost control over his beast.

-oOo-

Sango looked on, her eyes opening wide when Kagome rejected Shippou's offer. She did not understand why Kagome was doing this, and rushed to Shippou's side and offered him her support. She had no idea what was going on and asked, "Shippou are you going to be all right? I'm sure that Kagome didn't mean it. She is just upset about something."

Shippou heard Sango's words, she was trying her best to comfort him but he knew the reason why his mother rejected his offer, "No that is not why she rejected me."

Sango was still clueless on what was going on, "Then why did she reject your offer?"

"Because I don't belong to her pack anymore, I never thought that she would find out that this is not my first kill. I gave Sesshoumaru my first kill and accepted him as my alpha. But I still wanted to be close to mother so I killed another deer and offered it to her. As you can see it didn't work. She knew that I was lying and now she will not acknowledge me as a pack member." Shippou was trying hard not to lose control of his beast. His beast was upset at losing its mother and it did not like being rejected.

His aura started to get stronger while he was fighting to keep his control over his beast when he heard, "Kit, calm yourself or you will lose control over your beast."

Sesshoumaru came back just in time to see the kit fighting against his beast. His quiet words helped him to regain control, then Sesshoumaru noticed when the kit look up at him with red tinted eyes, "Lord Sesshoumaru is mama all right?"

Sesshoumaru looked at the kit and stated, "She is all right, she just needs time to think and it will not be wise to go after her until she is ready to come back.

"For now kit, you will show the respect that is due her as alpha and do not approach her again. You are not part of her pack anymore and she will see you as a threat to her and attack you." Sesshoumaru was looking at the kit to make sure that he understood what he was saying.

Shippou knew what the Youkai Lord was saying. He was not his mother's equal and he could not approach her. It was disrespectful to approach her and she could attack and hurt him the next time. He nodded his understanding as he moved off to the side away from his mother's pack.

Sango tried to follow Shippou but was held back by the monk. Miroku understood what was going on because he figured it out himself. He was not about to let Sango get caught in the middle of this war if it came down to that. "Sango you cannot go to him. He is no longer a member of our pack and for you to do so will tell Kagome that you no longer want her as alpha."

Sango turned heated eyes towards Miroku, "What do you mean that Kagome would take it as me rejecting her as alpha? Shippou has been with us for a long time and he doesn't deserve to be treated this way."

Miroku pulled the slayer with him while they went to sit down by the fire, "Sango, Kagome rejected Shippou because she is trying to protect him not because she doesn't love him as her kit anymore."

Now Sango was really confused, "I don't understand Miroku. What do you mean she is trying to protect him?"

Miroku sat there and tried to think of a way to explain this to Sango. "Kagome rejected Shippou because he accepted Sesshoumaru as his alpha. In Shippou doing this he has rejected Kagome as his alpha.

"Kagome now has to see Shippou as an unmated male that is trying to seek her favor. If she accepts his offer it will give the impression that he is courting her and other males can come in and challenge him for the right to mate.

"Remember Sango, Shippou is still young and does not know how to battle yet. Another powerful male will see Shippou as a threat to him being able to court Kagome. To put it bluntly, what will Koga do if he now sees a mature Shippou bringing Kagome food and she accepts his offer?"

Sango's eyes opened wide when she finally understood what Miroku was telling her. She looked off to the side and looked at the kit that was once part of their little pack. She could tell that he was hurt but she now understood what Kagome was doing. _'This must have been what was upsetting Kagome so much. She knew that Shippou was part of Sesshoumaru's pack now and she was trying to come to terms with it.'_

She felt sorry for her sister, she was dealing with so much here lately and now this. She was sure that Kagome was feeling abandoned about now. First it was Inuyasha and the corpse miko and now it was Shippou.

Sango finished the evening meal as she and Miroku ate their dinner. They waited up for Kagome to return to camp. They could not go to sleep knowing that she was still out there in the forest.

Sesshoumaru was sitting by the kit while he waited for the miko to return. The kit had fallen asleep some time ago; he was exhausted from the days training.

Sesshoumaru's senses were going out over the land making sure that the miko was safe. He knew where she was located and she was still by the lake. He was wondering if she was ever coming back to camp when he sensed that she was on the move again.

His beast was on edge because his female was away from his protection. But when he finally felt her coming back he relaxed and waited.

Sesshoumaru turned in the direction that the miko would be coming from. His eyes were glued to the forest area as he waited for his female to come back to him. He was giving her time to come to terms with what has happened and he hoped that she will not reject him for what he did.

-oOo-

And this is the end of this chapter. We have a new character being introduced, Konokarei, the leaf spirit of the lands.

Kagome has a lot to deal with at the moment. Shippou has betrayed her by accepting Sesshoumaru as his alpha. Since she is not Sesshoumaru's mate she must look at her kit as a single male from another pack that wants to court her. As a mother, it is the hardest thing to do to reject your own son but she did it to protect him.

Sango is having a hard time with what is going on. She doesn't really understand and is forming her own opinions about what is happening. Her only hope is to listen to Miroku who seems to have a grasp of what is going on.

Now some of you have had great ideas on what is going on but there is one question or comment that keeps popping up. Kagome does see that Sesshoumaru is showing her attention and that he is interested in her but with everything that she went through with Inuyasha she is not willing to follow her feelings. She wants a commitment from Sesshoumaru that he is not willing to give her. So just follow along and you will see where my madness goes. For all of you who want to know when Sesshoumaru will be back to normal you will have to wait. You still have some chapters to go.

Join me in the next chapter when Kagome continues to hunt the jewel shards and tries to deal with the situation with Shippou. Inuyasha and Kikyou will be back to confront Kagome and a battle ensues.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Kagome finally had enough time to herself, she has calmed back down from what happened back at camp. She was tired and wanted to go to bed. She decided to go back because she knew that Sango will be worried about her and she will not rest until she returned.

She got up from the ground while she stretched her body. She was sore from sitting on the hard ground, then she grabbed her bow and headed back to her pack. She just hoped that Shippou and Sesshoumaru will give her the space she needed as alpha of her own pack.

When she got back she looked around the area to ascertain where everyone was located. She spotted her pack on one side of the cave, with Sesshoumaru and Shippou on the other side away from her pack.

She immediately saw Sango get up to get her some food and headed in her direction. She sat down by the fire, thanking Sango for the food and then proceeded to eat. It was a wonderful stew, better than she could make. When she was done, they cleaned up the area while everyone started to head to their areas to sleep.

Kagome moved to the other side of her pack and away from Sesshoumaru and Shippou. She found her place by the wall of the cave as she sat down and relaxed. She was tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep when she felt that Sesshoumaru was coming towards her. She was wondering why he was coming to her when she opened her eyes and waited for him to reach her.

Sesshoumaru watched as the miko went to her pack and ate her food. He was happy that she was eating, she needed her strength for what was ahead while he watched her from afar.

He could not approach her yet. He will give her time with her pack before he went to her. He wanted to give her space and not have her pack reject her as their alpha, but his beast was getting restless because he was not with her.

Sesshoumaru has been so close to her during the past moon that it hurt not to be with her. He missed her scent that relaxed his body. Then he saw her move away from her pack to the other side of the cave, while the rest of her pack went to sleep. He waited a few minutes until everyone was settled.

Once he knew that everyone was asleep he made his way over to his miko. He watched when she opened her eyes and waited until he was by her side. Then he heard, "What can I do for you Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru growled when he jumped and landed on her knee. He looked up into her beautiful blue eyes, wondering if she has rejected him as well, "This Sesshoumaru wishes to know how you are faring miko."

Kagome closed her eyes, she was tired, and she felt like someone has beaten the shit out of her, but knew better than to say that to Sesshoumaru, "I'm fine Sesshoumaru. But you no longer should stay by my side. You have someone from your pack here that can see to your needs. We will continue going east in the morning and find the wolf Youkai with the two jewel shards."

Sesshoumaru was shocked. She did not want him anywhere near her and this upset his beast. "Miko… why don't you want this Sesshoumaru near you? Have I done something to upset you?"

Kagome could not believe that Sesshoumaru was upset because she did not want him near her. She looked into his eyes and saw the hurt in them. He did not understand why she was asking this of him, "Sesshoumaru if you stay by me all the time wouldn't Shippou feel left out?"

Sesshoumaru heard the miko's reasons for him not being by her side, "No he understands that he is not an alpha so therefore he cannot be near you, but I am alpha it is accepted if alpha's talk to each other. I will still spend time with him to train him but in the evening, I would prefer to be near you so we can talk."

Kagome thought about his words and it made sense. He was an alpha and it was natural for him to be near her. She was not accepting anything from him only an exchange of knowledge that was allowed among alphas.

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru when her eyes soften. She has missed his presence while they have been here. She was still upset that he has taken Shippou away from her but she understood that he saved his life, and it was a small price to pay for her son, plus, she missed her talks with him. "Very well Sesshoumaru I will allow you to come near me. I must admit that I have missed you today. It has been very quiet without you on my shoulder. I have missed our talks."

Sesshoumaru was happy that the miko changed her mind about having him near her. He sat down and quietly spoke with her. They talked for a while until he noticed that the miko was very tired. He started to growl low in his throat as it lulled the little miko to sleep. She laid down on the ground and curled up falling asleep.

Sesshoumaru moved from his spot as he found his place by her neck and made himself comfortable. Her scent soothed him to sleep as they were both laying there together.

His beast finally settled down once he was by his miko. He continued to growl through the night while he soothed the little miko in her slumber.

-oOo-

The next morning the pack got ready to leave. Everyone was well rested, they thought that it was time to get moving so they can get Koga's shards before Naraku got a hold of them.

Kagome and her pack were following Shippou and Sesshoumaru, they led them out of the barrier that surrounded the lands he brought them to. Once they were out of the barrier they continued going east, Kagome leading the way for her pack, while Shippou and Sesshoumaru went in another direction to train.

Kagome knew that Shippou needed a lot of work to become stronger and to control his beast. If he was anything he was stubborn. His time with Inuyasha has not taught him good manners while she continued going east to find Koga.

She opened her senses when she located the area where Sesshoumaru and Shippou were training. She scanned the area some more and noticed that Inuyasha and the corpse were following them. They were a long distance away but she should keep her senses opened to make sure that she was not taken by surprise.

Kagome thought to give her pack a warning about what was going on, so she turned toward her friends, "Inuyasha and Kikyou are following us. Miroku make sure you keep your senses open just in case he moves in on us. We don't want any surprises."

Miroku nodded his understanding while they continued walking. Throughout the day they kept sensing Inuyasha in the area with Kikyou. They would come close to them and then move away. They kept this up for much of the day and Kagome was wondering why they were doing this.

Kagome was deep in thought while she was traveling to Koga's den. She believed that Inuyasha was coming in close to see if his brother was with her and then moved away with the corpse to try and come up with a plan of attack. She was on full alert and she will not let him hurt her pack.

Sango noticed the tension in Kagome's eyes when they stopped for lunch. They have been traveling since early this morning and they decided that it was time for a rest. At least with Kagome they did not have to fight and argue to stop. She would stop before either Miroku or Sango asked her to. At least Kagome did not have to go out and hunt for lunch. They still had meat from this morning and Sango got busy making lunch.

Miroku was looking at Kagome. She was standing off to the side while she was sensing the area. He could feel Inuyasha in the near distance, he decided that he needed to speak to her to find out what her plans were. When he is by her side he asks, "Kagome do you think that Inuyasha will attack us?"

Kagome was tracking Inuyasha while he was moving through the area. He was circling around the area trying to find this brother. She could sense that Sesshoumaru was a good distance away and not near her. But she was worried that Inuyasha would find Sesshoumaru and do him harm. It was a good thing that Sesshoumaru was wearing the stone she gave him. She could tell through the stone that he was fine.

Kagome heard Miroku's question and answered, "Yes I think that he is going to come after me to get the jewel shards that I have. But most of all I think that he is going to try to make me submit to him. Now that he has Kikyou he realizes that she can't give him what he wants most in this world, a pup."

Miroku understood what she was saying and he was prepared. He knew that when Inuyasha came in it was going to be hard and fast. Kagome has told them that his sword is now useless. She has sealed his sword so that he cannot use it until the final battle with Naraku. Only then will his sword unlock from the spell she cast on it.

They watched and waited while they ate a light meal. The tension was running high when suddenly Kagome got to her feet and pulled out her sword. It transformed immediately when she took a defensive stance in front of her pack.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has been following Kagome all morning. He would go in close to see if his brother was anywhere near the bitch. He has not been able to pick up on his aura, he would move away to regroup and then circle around. He has been close enough to observe his bitch while she traveled with his pack, and to his delight Sesshoumaru was nowhere near her.

Once he found out this little bit of information he hurried back to Kikyou so they can move in to take Kagome's jewel shards.

They continued to follow them and when they stopped for a rest and lunch that is when they decided to move in and get the jewel shards from her.

Inuyasha landed a few feet away from Kagome when he saw her with a sword in her hand. He puts Kikyou down next to him and then stood to face her. He looked towards her shoulder and did not see his brother in his usual place. He growled, stepping forward, saying, "Bitch you have something that belongs to me. I want the jewel shards that you have around your neck."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at the idiot that was in front of her. She was wondering who died and made him boss to demand that she give up the jewel shards around her neck.

The jewel had a mind of its own as it started to glow. It embedded itself into the miko's chest as it sought to protect itself from the one that wanted to take it away from its host.

Kagome felt something warm on her chest, she reached up and scratched the area between her breasts. She thought that she would feel the jewel there, but to her surprise the only thing she felt was the necklace that the jewel was hanging on, and that the jewel was gone from the end of it. She tried to move the necklace but it would not move. Something was not right but now was not the time to find the jewel.

She stood tall and answered the hanyou, "There is no way that I'm giving you the jewel Inuyasha. The jewel is a part of me and I'm going to get them back to make it whole once more. Kikyou cannot keep the shards pure so there is no way that I will let her touch them."

Kagome watched as Inuyasha threw a fit. She wished that he still had his necklace so she could subdue him. But Kikyou removed the damn necklace when he mated with her so there is no way for her to subdue him.

Kagome jumped out of harm's way when Kikyou fired an arrow at her. She then had to move fast when Inuyasha came towards her with his claws drawn against her.

She noticed when Sango's weapon went flying by her and hits Inuyasha in the chest. Miroku was going after Kikyou to keep her at bay until Kagome has dealt with the half breed.

Inuyasha jumped quickly to his feet when he went after Sango for attacking him. Kagome put a barrier around Sango's body to protect her and then she went after Inuyasha.

Inuyasha was not about to give up, Kagome was alone and his mate was in no danger with the monk. There was no way that Miroku could do her any harm, so that let him devote his attention to Kagome, and get her subdued so that he could bring her back into his pack.

He will mate her on the spot to make sure that no one will ever claim her as theirs. He moved in fast and threw a punch but he missed. Unfortunately for him Kagome didn't miss when her fist connected with his chest and let a blast of her Reiryoku go, sending him flying backwards into a tree.

Kagome then reaches into her haori, she pulls out a sutra and casts her spell. She sees Kikyou fighting against Miroku, he was keeping her busy so that she didn't notice what she was doing. She throws the sutras towards the corpse and it hits the mark.

Kikyou was too busy with the monk to notice what her reincarnation was doing. But then she feels tremendous pain when she goes down to her knees.

Kagome's sutras were powerful enough to immobilize the corpse so that she does not hurt anyone in her pack. She had taken her eyes off Inuyasha for just a second and that's all it took for him to grab her.

Inuyasha slowly got up off the ground and looked at his bitch. She was proving to be a formidable foe when he notices that she is not paying attention to him. This was the break he needed, he leaped, grabbing her by the neck, he pins her to the ground.

Now that he had her in a submissive hold he made his demands, "You will now submit to me as your alpha and you will become my bitch so no one can take you away from me. I will mate you and you will bare my pups."

Kagome was having a hard time breathing when she hears Inuyasha's demands. There was no way that she was going to mate him when he was already mated to the corpse. She was fighting against him but the more she fought the harder he squeezed her neck. She cannot pass out because if she did he will finally get her.

Kagome was trying to come up with a solution to her problem when she feels that Sesshoumaru was heading towards her. There was no way she was going to let him get her out of this because this was her problem to deal with.

Then Kagome hears a gentle voice in her mind as it says, _"My little miko, use the powers of the lands. They will help you if you call to them."_

Kagome was confused on how to use these new powers and thought, _"How can I use it? What do I have to do?"_

The leaf spirit that she met last night then said, _"All you have to do is think about what you want to do and it will happen."_

Kagome closed her eyes while she hoped that this would work. She imagined hitting Inuyasha in the chest and the moment she thought that, she was finally able to breathe.

Taking deep breaths to fill her lungs, she opens her eyes, then slowly rolls over on her side and starts to get up. She saw Inuyasha flying across the clearing they were in when he hit a tree.

Kagome was still breathing hard but that was not the only thing that was happening to her. She was mad, she was beyond mad she was furious at the half breed to demand anything from her.

Kagome finally made it up to her feet. Her eyes for just a second moved to look at the corpse. She was still subdued on the ground as she turns her attention back to the half breed.

Inuyasha groaned while he slowly gets up off the ground. He has never felt so much power come from Kagome before. She hit him so hard in the chest that he was sure that he had a few broken ribs.

He stood while he searched for the bitch. His eyes opened wide when he sees her. She was glowing a bright green and her hair was moving on its own. There was no wind blowing through the area and he could feel her powers growing.

Kagome was still breathing hard while she looked at Inuyasha. She was not happy and said in a raspy voice, "I will never submit to you! You are not strong enough to subdue me and if you think that I will let myself be mated to a bastard like you, you need to think again. I would rather die than mate you."

Kagome's mind was working fast, when she finally had a solution to what she wanted to do. Her mind worked hard when she formed an image. Inuyasha howled in pain, he was picked up along with the corpse and thrown out of the area where Kagome was located. Kagome sent them far away from her when she finally calms down.

She turns her attention to her pack and seeing that they are all right, she faints, but before she hits the ground a blue blur came in and grabs her.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru separated from the miko to go and train the kit. He figured that the kit needed time away from the miko to concentrate. He was still upset that his mother rejected his offer and needed time to get over the hurt. He was right as the kit was getting better in controlling his beast.

He was learning faster than he thought possible in how to control his new level of powers. Sesshoumaru thought that he must have trained to control what he had before, for him to do so well now.

He made sure to keep a track of his miko, making sure that she did not move out of the range of his senses. If he could feel where she was located then he could tell if she was all right.

From time to time he would feel her aura brush against his when she tried to find out if he was all right. He would stroke her aura gently and reassure her that he and the kit were fine. He was wondering why she was worried about them and opened his senses up to scan the area.

That's when he felt it. He felt that the half breed was close to his female, when he lets a growl escape his lips. This cause Shippou to turn to him and ask, "Lord Sesshoumaru is anything wrong?"

Sesshoumaru did not waste any time in stopping the training and returning to his miko, "Yes the half breed is approaching the miko. He is after her again and we must get to her location and fast."

Shippou understood, he was not about to let Inuyasha anywhere near his mother. She has been hurt enough and he was determined to protect her. He waited for Sesshoumaru to land on his shoulder and when his alpha is settled he takes off fast going to Kagome. They were traveling so fast that Sesshoumaru never knew that the kit could move with such speed.

It took them some time to get to Kagome since they were so far away. But when they got there Shippou stops on a tree branch as they observe what was going on down below.

They saw Kagome battling against Inuyasha and she was doing a good job of thrashing him. They observed when Kagome took care of the corpse, when Shippou saw what she did, he asked, "Lord Sesshoumaru, what kind of spell did mama use against Kikyou? I have never seen her use this spell before."

Sesshoumaru thought about what the kit asked, it was strange that the miko would use this particular spell on the corpse miko, "It is a binding spell that will prevent the corpse from interfering with the miko. The spell is such that it will even prevent the corpse soul collectors from bringing her new souls to feed upon. I don't think that the half breed will be able to remove the sutra that she has cast."

Shippou knew that this spell was powerful. His mother was trying to be nice, but Kikyou was as evil as you can get. She went after his mother every chance she got and Inuyasha was stupid enough to believe her lies.

When Shippou noticed that his mother was attacked and pinned to the ground he about lost it. He wanted to go to her but Sesshoumaru stopped his forward motion. "Kit you cannot interfere in this fight. The miko must fight her own battles with the half breed. If you interfere then you will be challenging the male that is down there for the right to mate.

"I know for a fact that this is something that the miko constantly worries about. Why do you think she rejected your offer of the deer? It is her way of still protecting the kit that she has known since she has been here in our era."

Shippou was shocked to hear this. He didn't know the reason why his mother rejected him. He thought that she didn't want anything to do with him. He should have known that his mother would never willingly turn her back on him. Even after all of this she was still trying to protect him.

He turned his attention back to what was going on down below, then he heard Sesshoumaru give a nasty growl that even made him jump.

Shippou noticed when Inuyasha had his mother by the neck demanding that she submits to him. He was going to mate her so no one can claim her as a mate. This thought upset him even more than what the Youkai Lord was feeling at the moment.

Sesshoumaru let go of a vicious growl when he saw the half breed subdue his female. He could tell that she could not breathe and he was about to jump into this fight. But before he could move he noticed that the little miko was gaining power when her aura started to turn green.

He witnessed when the half breed is sent flying across the clearing, hitting a tree so hard that it breaks from the impact. He observed when his little mate slowly stood on shaky legs while her aura continued to grow.

Hearing her raspy voice set his blood on fire that she was hurt by that half breed. Then Sesshoumaru noticed that his female was drawing power from the lands, a gust of wind hit the hanyou in the chest and sent him, along with the corpse, flying out of the area and away from the miko's group.

He calmed knowing that his female was now safe but then they both noticed that she started to fall.

Shippou did not even wait to hear the Youkai Lord commands when he noticed that his mother was in trouble. He leaped from his perch and in a flash, he caught his mother in his arms while he held on to her.

He noticed right away that his mother was having a hard time breathing, she was gasping for air. The bruise that she has around her neck was a sure sign that she was hurt from her encounter with Inuyasha.

Sesshoumaru was looking at the little miko while he tried to ascertain what her injuries were. He turned to the kit, "Kit put the miko down on the ground so I can see to her injuries."

Shippou leaned over and placed his mother on the ground. He turned when he heard running feet and noticed that Sango and Miroku were coming closer to him.

Sango and Miroku noticed what happened to Kagome and they took off to help her. They noticed something blue coming into the area and that Shippou was holding Kagome in his arms.

They finally reach their location when Sango asks, "Is she going to be all right? Do you know what is wrong with her?"

Sango was being held back by Miroku as they watched to see what the Youkai Lord was going to do. Their friend was having a hard time breathing and unless she has help and soon, they will lose her.

Shippou obeyed the Youkai Lords request and put his mother down on the ground. She was now taking in shallow breaths and her breathing was slowing down.

Sesshoumaru jumped on the miko's chest so he could take a closer look at her injury. She has bruises on both sides of her neck. The half breed almost killed her when he tried to subdue her. It was no wonder that she did not pass out from the confrontation.

Sesshoumaru put his hands on the injured part of her throat, what he felt gave him cause for alarm. Her throat was closing on her because it was swelling. He had to heal her as soon as possible or he will lose his mate.

He sat there and thought for a few seconds when the jewel around his neck gave him an idea. If he could use the jewel to pull her powers out of her body to remove the knife she had in her shoulder, then he should be able to call forth her healing powers to help heal her wounds. He placed both his hands on each side of her neck again and concentrated. He was calling forth the miko's power of healing when his body took on a blue hue.

Once he knew that he had enough of her healing powers pulled, he started releasing the power that he gathered from the miko as her body was engulfed in a blue aura. He noticed that the bruises on her neck were starting to go away, he continued to pour everything he had into healing her.

Kagome's breathing eased when Sesshoumaru healed her neck. The swelling was slowly going down as it allowed her to breathe normally again. By the time he finished he was exhausted and fell unconscious on the miko's neck.

Shippou noticed that his mother was breathing easier now. He was happy that Sesshoumaru could help her. He continued to watch as everyone else looked on. When the Youkai Lord was finished, they saw him collapse on top of Kagome.

Shippou reached over to try and pull Sesshoumaru away from his mother. The word was _**try**_ because when he went to pick up Sesshoumaru his hand was zapped by his mother. Her aura was growing powerful again when she moved to protect Sesshoumaru's now, unconscious body.

Everyone moved away from Kagome when her aura grew in power. She was not letting anyone, anywhere near her as a barrier was placed around her body.

Everyone looked on in awe while they observed what Kagome was doing. Miroku snapped out of his shock first and gently said, "I think that we should set up camp here for the night. It will be some time before Kagome will wake from her ordeal."

Everyone agreed as they started to get everything ready for the night.

 _ **-DREAM-**_

Kagome woke up in the middle of a field while she slowly sat up. Her neck hurt, she was wondering why her neck was hurting when her mind started working faster. She finally remembered her fight with Inuyasha and she was furious. She got her emotions under control and looked around the area she was in, she found how peaceful this place was and wondered how she got here.

She took a deep breath and felt when that wonderful air went all the way into her lungs. It felt good to be able to breathe once again.

Kagome turned and looked around the area. She did not see anyone and wondered where her pack was located. She slowly got up as she went looking for them.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru slowly opened his eyes, he saw the same field of flowers that he had in his dream. He sat up and noticed that he was feeling drained of his powers. The last thing he remembered was healing his miko that was hurt when the half breed attacked her. He looked around the area and he couldn't find his miko.

He stood on shaky legs and went looking for her, he wanted to make sure that she was all right. She could not be located too far from him so he quickly made his way through the field.

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she felt a familiar aura in the area. She looked around when she spotted someone in the distance. She noticed that the individual was moving very slowly and he was looking for something.

Kagome turned and headed in that direction. She recognized that aura and quickly made her way there. When she was close enough she recognized that it was indeed Sesshoumaru but there was something wrong. He was moving very slowly then rushes to his side.

Sesshoumaru turned when he heard his name being called. To his delight he noticed that the little miko was making her way over to him. He went weak in the knees and fell forward, catching his body with his hands, he was breathing hard.

Kagome became alarmed when Sesshoumaru fell to his knees, hurrying her pace she reaches him and asks, "Sesshoumaru are you all right?"

Sesshoumaru looked up at his miko when a small smile came to his lips. She was alive and he was happy. He has given her everything he had to make sure that she survived. He did not care that he was putting himself in danger. He just wanted her to live. "You have recovered from your injuries miko. This Sesshoumaru could do no less than make sure that you survived."

Kagome's eyes opened wide while she asked, "What did you do Sesshoumaru? Please tell me what you did!"

Sesshoumaru fell forward as Kagome caught him in her arms and then placed him on the ground. She has never seen Sesshoumaru this weak before. She had no idea what he did to make sure he healed her.

Sesshoumaru was breathing hard when he whispered, "I made sure you survived miko. This Sesshoumaru used everything within his power to make sure I healed your injuries."

Kagome's eyes grew big at his statement, fear filled her heart when she asked, "You didn't use all of your energy did you?"

Sesshoumaru was very tired, he didn't think that he could keep his eyes opened any longer. Then he heard his miko's question, he was slowly slipping away, when he whispered, "Yes."

There was no way Kagome was going to let Sesshoumaru die because he tried to save her. She threw herself on top of him and whispered, "I'm not going to let you die, I will not let you die to leave me alone in this world."

Kagome's body started to glow as she surrounded Sesshoumaru with her aura. She transferred some of her energy back to Sesshoumaru to keep him with her while she hugged his body closer to hers. But there was a problem, Kagome was low on energy herself and had little to give Sesshoumaru. Kagome had to think fast when she closed her eyes and concentrated.

-oOo-

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou were all standing around Kagome when her body started to pulse with power. You could see the shock on their faces, she was pulling power from somewhere but they didn't know where. Then her aura turned a vibrant green, that is when Shippou finally figured out what was going on, "Mama is pulling power from the lands itself. She is trying to heal herself and Lord Sesshoumaru."

"Shippou what do you mean she is pulling power from the lands? She has never done that before." Miroku asked, who was still stunned by what he was witnessing in front of him.

Shippou eyes left his mother while he looked at the monk, "Miroku, you know as well as I do that miko's, especially mama, are close to the lands. They feel the lands need and they try to help it as much as possible. Mama, because she is a powerful miko, can call upon the lands and feed off its power. For her to do so mean's that she is really weak and needs the energy."

Sango and Miroku were listening to the kit. What he said was true, miko's are very close to the lands. It's where they get most of their powers from. A powerful miko can control the elements of the earth as well. So now Miroku was wondering if Kagome can command the elements of the lands. He will have to ask her when she finally wakes up from her sleep. But for now, they had a job to do and that was to protect her while she was incapacitated.

-oOo-

Kagome started to feel her body gaining power while she drew power from the lands. She hated to do it but she had to do everything in her power to make sure Sesshoumaru survived.

She continued pushing power into Sesshoumaru's body until she started to hear his heart beat faster. It was growing stronger with each passing minute, and then she felt arms going around her body. She raised her head and looked into his golden eyes. Her heart leaped with joy when she saw him awake, slowly she started to pull her powers away from his body.

Sesshoumaru could feel that his life was slowly draining away from his body. He could almost see the light that was beckoning for him to come closer. Then he felt a pull, it was made of warmth and it felt very familiar to him. He could smell the scent of Lavender with a hint of a powerful storm calling him back to the place where he belonged. He allowed this warmth to pull him in the direction that it wanted while he was slowly returning to his body.

Slowly Sesshoumaru's eyes start to open. He could feel a weight on his chest while he tried to take in a deep breath. He looked down to find the little miko laying on top of him while she held him with a death grip. He moved his arms up and held her closer to his body. His chest then started to rumble, trying to soothe the female laying on top of him.

It seemed to work because before long the female looked up and he saw her beautiful blue eyes. There was concern in them, rolling them over so she was laying underneath him he could not resist the temptation anymore. Her sweet lips were calling to him as his lips finally met hers in a passionate kiss.

They kissed long and hard as the heat of their passion was growing. Their tongues battled for dominance, which was something that Sesshoumaru easily won, and she submitted to his administration.

Sesshoumaru's hand moved lower, caressing every curve on her body, and her glorious mounds of softness while he gave them a gentle squeeze. Satisfied with their softness his hand was moving lower, finally finding her obi, he pulled on the end of it. It opened quickly, pulling the obi quickly off her waist, he tossed it off to the side. Her haori opened easily, while he pulled the garment off to the side. He looked and to his delight he found that his courting mark was still there. He growled gently for his female and then he started to lap at his mark.

Kagome was slowly losing herself in what Sesshoumaru was doing. He was licking her neck and shoulder as it set her body on fire. She was hot and wanting. She did not know what she wanted, but she knew that Sesshoumaru was the only one that could extinguish the fire that she was feeling.

She felt hot liquid leaving her body, her lower region was getting soaked with her desire. She arched her back and pushed closer to Sesshoumaru, so she could feel his body.

Sesshoumaru was picking up on the miko's scent as it was sweet and spicy. Her arousal was very powerful and it was calling to his beast. He held on to his control, he could not take her yet, not even in a dream. But he did notice that she was very receptive to him and wanting.

He bit her shoulder and his miko reached her peak when he did that. Her body was shaking with the aftershock of her orgasm while she was breathing hard. Kagome was not about to be the only one that was pleasured this day, she got a burst of energy and had Sesshoumaru on his back while she had her way with him. After about an hour of oral pleasuring each other they were both sedated and exhausted.

Kagome laid her body down on top of his and sighed in contentment. His gentle heartbeat was slowly lulling her to sleep. She wrapped her arms around his chest to make sure he stays close, and just before she fell asleep she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her body, to hold her.

Sesshoumaru did not know what to think about the little female that he was interested in. She surprised him with everything she did. He has never experienced pleasure of the flesh like this. But what was more shocking, is that his beast was already sedated to the point that he was asleep.

This was something that never happened. He held his female closer to his body then he rolled over onto his side. She cuddled into his chest as they both fell asleep this way.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Inuyasha almost killed Kagome because he wanted her to submit to him as her alpha. She was not about to do that as we all saw. Sesshoumaru almost lost his life to make sure the miko lived. They each protect each other but they have a hard time saying what is in their hearts.

Sorry FanFiction but the Lime in this story will be located at Dokuga. Since this site does not allow such things. So I cut it out. You can go here to read it:

www. dokuga fanfiction/ story/ 10454/19

Please remember to take out the spaces in the above URL.

Join me in the next chapter when Naraku tries to take over Kagome's mind and the leaf spirit comes to her aid.

Until the next time

Ja ni!


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Kagome slowly woke the next morning. She noticed that she was laying on her side as she took in a deep breath. When her eyes came into focus it was still dark out, then she tried to move. She heard a gentle growl come from the Youkai Lord who was sleeping on her neck. He had his body curled around her neck where his head was resting close to her ear and the rest of him went down the side of her neck with his tail coming up the other side.

Kagome started to think about what happened and why he was so close to her. She remembered when Inuyasha came with Kikyou to get her jewel shards. The fight that followed was intense, then he tried to subdue her so she could mate with him.

She remembered that she was doing well against him when she saw what Kikyou was about to do. Kikyou had every intention of hurting her friends. Her anger started to grow when she pushed Inuyasha away from her and pulled a sutra out of her kimono.

Kikyou was becoming dangerous and there was no way that she will stand by and let Kikyou hurt her friends, her pack. She cast her spell on her sutra and threw it towards the corpse. The sutra took a good amount of her powers to cast as it sealed Kikyou's body. It will not allow her soul collectors to provide her with stolen souls anymore. She has warned the corpse not to go after her pack but she did not listen.

This time Inuyasha will not be able to remove what she put on Kikyou to save her life. She will die a slow and painful death for all the wrong she has done to the people of these lands.

Inuyasha on the other hand had almost killed her when he pinned her to the ground. His hands were glowing black with the power of the corpse miko. Kikyou has placed a powerful dark spell on Inuyasha and Kagome knew that he didn't know what he was doing, but it didn't matter to her.

He chose the corpse and any punishment that she deemed fit will be her retribution. She will not submit to him and he had crushed her windpipe. She did not remember what happened to cure her but she was thankful to be alive right now.

The only thing that she remembered was waking up in that beautiful field of flowers when Sesshoumaru showed up. The time that she spent there with him was wonderful when she remembered what she did.

Kagome's cheeks flushed red and her arousal spiked when she remembered that dream. She had no idea that she could be so bold. But she let go of her reservations and went after what she wanted. This was the first time that she had a wet dream about Sesshoumaru and it was the best dream ever.

But Kagome noticed that even though it was a dream she could still taste his essence in her mouth. She could not understand how this could be happening. It was just a dream, right?

She was upset with him for almost giving up his life to save her. He had no right to do that when she went out of her way to make sure that he stayed safe. She did not want him to be making such sacrifices for her, she was not worth it.

But the pleasures he gave her was incredible. If only it was real and they spent some time like that. She knew that it was a dream, but at least in her dream, her Youkai Lord loved her and he did not have a problem showing her. If only she could hear his wants and desires when she was awake, that would make her happy, that was all she needed, then she knew for sure that what she was sensing from him was real, not just a dream. She sighed.

A great sadness came over Kagome's aura while she laid there and tried to stay still until Sesshoumaru woke from his slumber. She did not have to wait for long when she felt Sesshoumaru stirring from his sleep.

Sesshoumaru has been awake since the miko woke. He stayed laying down to see what the miko would do. First, he feels her confusion. He figured that she could not remember what happened and was trying to figure it out.

Then he sensed her anger, which could only be attributed to the half breed attacking her. He was wondering how many more emotions she will go through before she finally remembered everything that happened yesterday when he smelled her arousal.

Now this caught him by surprise, he was wondering what she was thinking about to make her scent spike so fast. Sesshoumaru's beast decided that he would remind him of what happened in their dream, when a perfect picture of their bitch bobbing her head up and down came to mind.

Sesshoumaru held the growls that threaten to escape his throat. He did not want to give away that he was awake and observing his female. But then he felt her aura take on a new emotion. She was sad and hurt, it grew and lingered longer than the other emotions did. He did not know what she was thinking about so he decided to growl and move.

It was about time that he got up and let his miko take her bath. She always felt better when she bathed. Slowly he sat up and let a big yawn escape out of his mouth. That was totally unexpected as he quickly got up and jumped from the miko's body, to land on the ground.

When Kagome felt that Sesshoumaru was away from her she slowly sat up and ran her hand through her hair. Her body hurt but most of all she needed some time alone.

She got up from her spot and got her bag. She found it up against a tree and started to head into the woods. She never realized how close they were to the hot springs as it was just a short distance away.

When Kagome was finally done with her bath she went hunting for her pack. She was sure that Shippou and Sesshoumaru will be going out this morning to get their own meal. A small boar was enough for her pack and headed back with her catch.

Getting back to her campsite she noticed that everyone was still asleep but Sesshoumaru and Shippou were gone from the area. She grabbed her Shuriken and cut the boar open to clean it out. She found the liver and heart while she looks at them. This part of the kill was causing all her pain, if Shippou would have given her his first kill then she wouldn't be feeling this way. She has no idea why Youkai want this part of a kill.

Kagome sat there and stared at the heart. It was not very big as her eyes were slowly changing their colors. Her eyes were turning red when something that was deep inside her body was being released. It looked like something was taking over her body, while the urge to eat the heart and liver over took her. She took her Shuriken, cutting the heart into smaller pieces, she put a piece in her mouth and swallowed.

Kagome waited a few minutes for her stomach to react to what she just did. She just knew that her body will protest the meat she just ate. But to her surprise her body didn't even react to it at all. As a matter of fact, it growled at her wanting more to eat.

Not caring that her stomach was not protesting the food it was given she continued to cut up the heart and liver into smaller, bite size pieces. She could feel the power and strength she was getting from eating the heart and liver. She continued until she was done eating, now she understood why this was the choice meat for the alpha. It was full of vitamins that the body needs plus it gave her strength.

A low growl left her throat when she was done. She licked her fingers clean of the blood that was on them and looked around the area. Everyone was still asleep so she cleaned herself up.

She had no idea what compelled her to eat raw meat, only that she had to. When she was done, she continued to clean her kill, then she took the hide and made a carrier for the meat.

She put a couple of good chucks of meat on the fire to cook then she wrapped up the rest and cast her spell on the fur. It will keep the rest of the boar fresh until they stopped to have lunch. She was feeling hungry this morning for some reason, while she continued to cook the morning meal.

An hour later Sango and Miroku woke to the smell of fresh cooking meat. Sango was surprised that Kagome was already up and started the morning meal for her. The meat was even done while they all sat down to eat.

When they were done, they continued their journey.

Miroku noticed that something was bothering Kagome. She has not said two words to them this morning. They were traveling east and it will be a hard task to take the shards away from Koga. He was not going to give them up easily.

Miroku kept his mouth shut for once in his life and thought about what was going on. When they woke this morning, they noticed that Sesshoumaru and Shippou were gone from the area. Both he and Sango were wondering where they went off to. But they did not dare ask Kagome because she was in a foul mood.

Her aura was very sad and when Sango tried to find out what was wrong she nearly snapped her head off. Miroku also noticed that the day was very overcast. Dark clouds covered the skies but fortunately for them it was not raining. It made the day easier for them to travel in but he could not help but to compare the dark skies to Kagome's mood.

It seemed to him that the elements of the earth were in tune with Kagome and her emotions. He shook his head, there was no way that could be true. He has never known the little miko to control the elements of the earth. He was as confused as ever and decided to keep an open mind on what was going on.

Yes, their friend did pull power from the earth to help her heal but Miroku was sure that she could not control the elements. Kagome has never shown this kind of power before, but he will wait to see if she shows signs that she has this ability.

Kagome finally called a halt to their travel, they have gone far today and they will be in the eastern lands tomorrow. She wanted to get some rest before she entered wolf territory.

Kagome went hunting once more for her pack and brought back a deer. The animal was already gutted as she helped Sango cut the deer meat up and store it in the hide. Again, Kagome has eaten the heart and liver of her kill before she brought it back to her pack.

Once everything was settled in the clearing they were in Kagome decided to go and do some training. "Guys I'm going off to do a little training and I don't want to be disturbed. I'll be back in a little while."

Kagome grabbed her bow and quiver full of arrows and went into the forest, leaving her friends behind.

Miroku and Sango watched as Kagome left the area. They were both worried about their friend when Sango turned and asked, "Miroku what could be wrong with Kagome? She has never been this upset about anything. She seems so distant suddenly and I don't know what to do."

Miroku considered Sango's words, carefully organizing his thoughts before he spoke, "I believe that whatever is wrong with Kagome she has to figure it out for herself. It is not something we can help her with. She has already made that clear. We just need to be there for her if she needs our help. But my theory is that she is still struggling with what happened with Shippou and she is still trying to come to terms with it.

"With Shippou being so close to her here it is making it difficult for her to distance herself from the kit. Add to that the fact that she is still trying to find a way to break Sesshoumaru's curse, could be the cause for her distress."

Sango heard what Miroku was saying. He always had a way of observing things that she missed. She agreed with him and whispers, "You're right Miroku. I guess we should wait until she comes out of this. I just hope that what has happened so far will not hurt Kagome in the long run. It's going to be hard enough to get the jewel shards away from Koga, if she is distracted, she might wind up being Koga's mate and she is not ready for that."

Miroku silently agreed with Sango. Koga was a real threat to Kagome now. If there was a confrontation, he knew that they could not interfere with what was going on. He was no match for Koga and to challenge Koga was to challenge him for the right to mate.

Miroku went and sat down by the fire, closing his eyes, he started mediating. Hopefully he can come up with some sort of a plan that will help them and Kagome, if something went terribly wrong. He knew deep down in his heart that Sesshoumaru would not be able to help if she was attacked.

-oOo-

Kagome left her camp and went deep into the forest. She was going to keep her word to Konokarei and meet with him to train. She couldn't meet him the night before because that hanyou attacked her and she was unconscious. Now she was making her way through the forest to see if she could find him. She found a secluded spot not too far away from her camp so she could lend an ear if there was trouble, but far enough away to have her privacy.

Kagome stopped and looked around the area. She didn't see Konokarei or anyone else for that matter. She decided that she could get in some training while she waited.

She put her bow and quiver down while she relaxed and started doing her Tai Chi. She continued until she went through all her training sets. Once she was done she still could not feel Konokarei anywhere close.

Sitting down on the ground, she thought that she could mediate and give Konokarei a chance to show up. If he did not arrive when she was done, then she will return to her camp. She will just have to keep her senses open for when he did show up.

Kagome took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She relaxed her mind and started her mediation. About 30 minutes later, Kagome finished what she was doing. When she opened her eyes she almost jumped out of her skin. There in front of her, Konokarei was sitting down, looking at her with a twinkle in his eyes.

Konokarei gave a small chuckle when he noticed the little miko's reactions to his presence. He has been watching her for a few minutes and when she opened her eyes she must have jumped at least 2 feet off the ground.

Kagome brought her racing heart back down and tried to get her breathing under control, "Please don't do that! You scared me half to death."

Konokarei laughed at her remark and started with his lesson, "Little miko, the first thing you must learn is to pay attention to your surroundings. You are easily distracted and anyone can come in and hurt you.

"The plants and trees can help you with this if you open your mind and listen to them. They will talk to you and give you warnings. They can also search the lands for what you are looking for. Now miko open your mind and listen to what is around you."

Kagome nodded her understanding, she opened her mind and relaxed her body, allowing her to focus on the forest in the area. Soon she could hear all the voices of the forest. Not only could she feel where all the animals were located, but she could hear the trees and flowers greetings to her. It was the most amazing thing she has ever experienced.

Konokarei smiled when she contacted the lands. This was going to be easier than he thought. She was a quick learner thus making this easier for him to teach. He then continued, "You also have control over the elements of the lands. You can command the wind, water, fire, and earth. But there is something you must remember; the land reacts to your emotions."

Kagome opened her eyes when that last statement caught her by surprise. "What do you mean that the lands react to my emotions?"

Konokarei thought carefully about what he wanted to say. Then he got the perfect example to give her, "All right… let's see if I can explain it to you in a way that you will understand. Today when you were traveling you were feeling sad and depressed. The sorrow was thick around your aura, that even your friends noticed it and tried to comfort you.

"You didn't accept their comfort and when you didn't calm down the land reacted to your sorrow. The clouds gathered in the sky, it made the day dark and gloomy. There was nothing to laugh about or even enjoy on a day such as today. Yes, it made it a little easier for you and your pack to travel, but if you had cried it would have caused the clouds to shed their tears with you and rain.

"With these new powers, your emotion will play a critical role. The more emotional you are the more powerful you become, remember this and you will do fine. Now let us go through some exercises and see if you can summon each of your new powers. You will need them to battle the evil that you are seeking and they will help you to defeat him."

Kagome was shocked to hear this when she asked, "Do you know where Naraku is located?"

Konokarei shook his head, "No, I do not know where he is but I do know that he is getting powerful. None of my children are anywhere near him, or they are unable to contact me. He can keep his presence a secret even from me.

"Now enough of Naraku we have work to do and I will not let you off that easy. Your goal, my dear, is to land a hit on my person. Do this and your training will be complete, fail and I will make you pay for not improving. Do we have an agreement?"

Kagome smiled and agreed to his demands. She knew that he will be a hard teacher and she was more than willing to work hard for him. She stood and started to go through the lessons that he was going to show her.

By the time they were done Kagome could have sworn that she was gone from her pack for over 5 hours but when she looked at her watch it has only been a couple of hours. She was exhausted but she was happy because she has learned how to summon all the elements.

Konokarei was happy with the little miko's progress. She is amazing, in that she can already summon all the elements. He turns to the little miko and states in a soft deep voice, "Miko, practice what you have learned while you are traveling tomorrow. These powers will not drain you as much as your normal Reiryoku. I will expect to see improvements come tomorrow night."

He gave her a stern look telling her that it will not be in her best interest to not improve when they meet the next night. He needed to push her as hard as possible. She needed to have these new powers under control and soon. Time was not on her side and he needed to keep her mind off the Youkai Lord.

He knew that Sesshoumaru loved the little miko. You could see it in his eyes when he looks at her. But he was very disappointed that Sesshoumaru has not made his intensions known to her yet. He knew that the little miko needed to be reassured that he was interested in her.

Her mind will always push her to think that he is in no way interested in her, because of what that hanyou did to her with the dead corpse. When he took her kit into his clan, he knew it almost broke the little miko. She is still fighting her emotions and is proving to be strong. But she has times when she gives into that sorrow, like today.

She is a powerful miko and her emotions are very strong. If she learns how to channel that emotion into an attack, using the elements, she will be unstoppable.

He turns his attention to the little miko, "I will see you tomorrow my little one. Make sure that you pay attention to your surroundings, because the next time I catch you like I did today I will make you pay for your inattentiveness."

Kagome swallowed hard and nodded her understanding to the leaf spirit. She knew that if they sparred together that she could not hurt him. He was not a Youkai that she could purify nor was he ningen. He is a powerful spirit that the Kami's sent down here to protect the lands.

Kagome said her farewells and started to make her way towards her pack. She was tired, hungry, and needed to get some sleep.

-oOo-

Shippou was breathing hard, he has been gone all day with Lord Sesshoumaru while he was teaching him how to control his inner beast. He has made a lot of progress in that area and he was learning what else he was capable of now that he has matured.

Sesshoumaru taught him some of the attacks that he could do. He knew his father when he was alive and had a great deal of respect for him. Sesshoumaru was surprised that his father had died, trying to protect his mother and him from the thunder brothers.

He showed him how to make his fox fire and illusions spells more powerful. His illusions were now tangible, making his attacks even more deadly. He showed him how to fight with his claws and he also learned that he had his own brand of poison.

Shippou's poison was not as powerful as Sesshoumaru's but it did have its usefulness. His poison did not kill like Sesshoumaru's did, his poison paralyzed his opponent for a few minutes making it easier for him to defeat his enemies.

He stood straight up and looked towards the location where his mother was. He could feel his mother off in the distance and she was very sad. He could feel her aura even from here and it broke his heart to feel her like this. He did not want to leave her, how was he supposed to know that he was maturing? If he had known, he would have gone off on his own like he has done in the past.

But it did not do to dwell on the past, his main concern right now was his mother. He knew that she was hurting, just like he was. It is never easy to leave your mother behind to find your own way in this land, growing to become a powerful Youkai in your own right. He was concerned about her and he wanted to go to her. Just being near her helped him deal with what was going on.

Sesshoumaru noticed that the kit was restless. He was staring towards the east and he saw concern on his young features. He had to admit that the kit was a fast learner. He has nearly mastered keeping his beast under his control and has not lost control over him not even when he made him very angry.

But now the kit was just standing there looking towards the horizon and he did not know what was wrong. He approached the kit and when he reaches him he asks, "Kit what has your mind so preoccupied?"

Shippou heard his alpha and sighed in frustration. "It's my mother, her aura disturbs me. I have not seen her this sad since she discovered that Inuyasha mated with Kikyou."

Sesshoumaru heard the kits words and sniffed the air. He could detect Kagome in the distance and he was right. Her aura was a sad one, he knew that he hurt her when he took her kit. But it could not be helped, if he did not mark him, then his beast would have gone into a blood rage that would have left many dead or without family.

Sesshoumaru looked to the skies and noticed that it has been cloudy all day, much the same way that the little miko was feeling. It has not rained yet but he thought that it could soon and they needed to get back to the miko.

"Kit it is time that we go hunting and then back to the miko's pack. Soon it will get dark and I don't want to leave the miko unguarded during the night." Sesshoumaru stated in a commanding voice, like the alpha that he is.

Shippou heard Sesshoumaru and nodded his agreement to him. He wanted to say more to Sesshoumaru but it was not his place to say anything. He knew his mother well enough to know that she was having feelings for Sesshoumaru. But the Youkai Lord was keeping his feelings from her and that was a big problem.

His mother was a very insecure female, having been betrayed by that half breed left a painful scar in her. He never thought that she will be able to love again, with what Inuyasha did to her, but she proved him wrong.

He knew that she was having feelings for Sesshoumaru but with him being this small it prevented the Youkai Lord from stating his intentions. He could tell that Sesshoumaru loved her and he was very protective of her. He just hoped that his mother will not close herself off to any male and allow Sesshoumaru into her heart.

He came out of his thoughts when he felt the Youkai Lord leaving the area on his cloud and heading towards his mother's pack. They will hunt before going back and then rest with the others. There was always safety in numbers and it was good to be around family.

Shippou quickly followed Sesshoumaru, glad to be heading back towards his mother.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru and Shippou entered the miko's camp to see Sango and Miroku sitting by the fire with Kirara sitting in Sango's lap. Sango was gently stroking Kirara's fur with her hand. He could hear the neko purring as Sango's hand was moving slowly over the soft fur.

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that the miko was missing from the area. He floated over to the slayer and asked, "Where is the miko?"

Miroku and Sango both stood when they saw Sesshoumaru coming into their camp. They bowed respectfully to the Youkai Lord when they heard his question. Miroku took it upon himself to answer, "Lady Kagome went off into the forest a couple of hours ago. She said she did not want to be disturbed and will return shortly."

Sesshoumaru was not happy that his female was alone in the forest, he turned to the kit and said, "Stay here."

He turned, following the miko's scent into the forest when suddenly he felt her aura coming towards them. He stopped and waited until he saw her stepping into the clearing.

His nose was working a mile a minute while he tried to ascertain if she was injured in any way. He was happy when he found that she was not hurt, but then he picked up the scent of another male on her and this angered him. He moved his cloud over to her location and floated in front of her face.

Sesshoumaru waited until the miko looked up from the ground, then he asked in a deadly voice, "Miko, who have you been with?"

Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru and Shippou were back from their training. She was happy, at least now they were safe with her and she did not have to worry about them.

She noticed that Sesshoumaru was coming towards her. She could tell from his aura that he was angry about something, she stopped a good distance away from her pack so they could speak privately away from everyone.

Sesshoumaru stopped right in front of the miko. His nose was picking up a male's scent. It was rough and held the deep scent of the forest, unlike her scent which was of lilac with a hint of a thunder storm. He growled and demanded again, when she would not answer his question, "Who were you with miko?"

Kagome's could see Sesshoumaru's eyes turning red when he sniffed at her. She was wondering what he was picking up on her scent that had him this way when she heard his questions.

Kagome's anger flared, then she narrowed her eyes at the little Youkai Lord. _'How dare he ask me that question! Who does he think he is to demand anything from me?'_ She straightens her back, and stood her ground, "Who I was with is none of your concern. You have no right to ask me that question Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru growled, he was not going to back down from this. "You went to see this other male that you have feelings for, haven't you? Tell me miko, is that where you were?"

Kagome growled deep and menacing, she turned on her heel and left the clearing. If they were going to argue she was not going to do it in front of her pack. She was trying to hold on to her temper but she was failing miserably.

Thunder and lightning started to light up the evening sky when her anger grew to great proportions. Kagome then remembered what the leaf spirit said to her and tried to rein in her temper.

She succeeded when she could no longer hear the thunder in the sky. She stopped by a cliff and looked out over the lands. The scenery calmed her and the lands looked peaceful from up here. She could feel Sesshoumaru following her and braced herself for this argument. She still did not understand why he was so upset.

Sesshoumaru was quickly following his miko through the forest. He was not about to let another male take what was his and he wanted some answers. He followed the miko's scent to the cliff. He saw her standing there looking out over the lands. Her hair was moving gently with the light breeze; she took his breath away when he saw her beauty.

But then he noticed something that concerned him greatly. His miko was standing too close to the edge of the cliff. He did not want to startle her and have her accidently fall off the edge. She was standing too close for his liking.

He made some noise so that he did not surprise her. He saw her sigh when she looked down at the ground in front of her.

Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru was there. She looked at the ground while she was deep in thought, _'What am I going to do about Sesshoumaru? I know he can smell Konokarei on me. It wasn't hard to figure out what he was talking about. But what right does he have to be asking me such a question? He has made no move to tell me his feelings and he has no right to tell me to stay away from other males.'_

She looked up, she moved away from the edge of the cliff and face off with Sesshoumaru. She was not about to back down to him.

Sesshoumaru came to a stop right in front of his little miko. His beast was very much the driving force in wanting to know who she was with. He looked at his miko and stated, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru wants to know who you were with. Was it the person that you are in love with?"

Kagome huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, while she slightly turned away from Sesshoumaru. When she was ready she said, "I do not have to answer that question Sesshoumaru. You are not my alpha and you have no claim on me what so ever. If I want to go and see a friend or a lover you have no right to tell me what I can and cannot do.

"You are an alpha from another pack that has an alliance with me. We protect each other from harm and I have given you my word that I will do everything in my power to get you back to normal. So, why are you acting like the jealous lover who has made no claim on my person and I have not submitted to you as my alpha?"

Sesshoumaru did not like what the little miko was saying. He hated to hear those words but they were true. He had no claim on her, he could not protect that which was his and that upset him.

He lowered his head, saying, "You are correct miko. I am not your alpha, nor am I courting you. I have no right to ask such things from you. If you will excuse me I will leave you alone."

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she heard him. He was hurt, he was hurt that she did not want to tell him who she was with and now he wanted to leave. He never left her alone unless she requested it.

Kagome's mind was racing with what to do. She could not let him go. She didn't want him to leave her. She was afraid of ending up alone and never having anyone to love her. Her body started shaking when she lost control, falling to her knees, she started to cry.

She couldn't take it anymore, the hurt was just too great for her to handle, she openly sobbed, while she wrapped her arms around her stomach. She was rocking back and forth like a child that was in distress. Slowly she could feel the rain drops hitting her body. It was starting to rain. The sorrow she felt and the pain in her heart finally made it rain. She could not stop her sorrow now that she started to cry.

Tears were coming down her cheeks when she softly says, "I'm sorry Lord Sesshoumaru, I had no right to speak to you in such a manner."

Sesshoumaru stopped when he heard the miko's words. He could smell the scent of her tears and turned around. His eyes opened wide when he sees her on the ground quietly crying. She was rocking back and forth, in distress. He quickly made his way over to her, asking, "Miko, why are you crying?"

Kagome was in anguish; she could feel her barriers going down as a pressure started to build in her mind. She knew what this pressure was, she has felt it before. It was Naraku trying to take control of her body once more.

He has done this in the past and she learned how to block her mind to protect herself but now her defenses were down and he was trying to take control. Her thoughts were no longer her own when he demanded that she kill the Youkai Lord.

Kagome's mind was going wild, she wanted to get away from Sesshoumaru. She knew that if Naraku could get control over her she could hurt Sesshoumaru. She was fighting against the pressure that was trying to take over her mind. Then she felt a dark presence finally entering her mind, as the last of her barriers fell, putting ideas into her head.

The voice kept saying into her mind, _'You know that Sesshoumaru doesn't want you. There is no way that he could have feelings for someone like you. Inuyasha was right, you are worthless. The only thing you're good for is to find jewel shards._

' _Why do you think he left you to mate with Kikyou? Why have a copy when he could have the real thing that is more powerful than you are? Face it miko you are a burden to your friends and no one wants to be with you._

' _Now you must strike before he kills you. Kill the Youkai Lord of the West and then come to me, my sweet. I will not reject you. You are meant for me and I will have you.'_

Kagome was struggling with what Naraku was putting into her mind, she was trying to fight for her sanity, against these evil thoughts. _'No that is not true! I am my own person, I am powerful, I am no one's pawn and I will think and do whatever I want!'_ Then she was brought out of her mussing when she heard Sesshoumaru's question.

"I…" she tried to answer Sesshoumaru but it was next to impossible. Tears continued to roll down Kagome's cheeks while she continued to rock herself back and forth. She seemed to have gone into her mind, her eyes were glassy and held no life in them. She was currently sitting there not answering the Youkai Lord.

Sesshoumaru was concerned about the little miko. She was not acting like her normal self while he was watching her. She was still too close to the edge of the cliff, one wrong move on her part and she could easily fall to her death. With him being this size, he does not have the strength to slow her fall, not from this height.

He noticed when the little miko stopped rocking her body. He observed how her glassy eyes were looking off to the side. He did not like that look in her eyes and made his way closer to her. He needed to snap her out of her thoughts so he can move her away from the edge.

Kagome mind was working hard on controlling her body. She knew that Naraku was trying to control her and she was not going to have it. With her being upset it weakened her defenses and now she was fighting a great battle. She will not let Naraku win no matter what.

Kagome gained enough of her thoughts to see that Sesshoumaru was very close to her. She had no desire to hurt him or for him to interfere with what she was about to do. She loved him enough to make sure that he stayed safe. She was willing to sacrifice her life for his.

Kagome concentrated on what she needed to do and when she was ready she pushed Sesshoumaru away from her, she quickly stood and turned, she was about to jump off the cliff. At least if she was dead then she will not be in so much pain.

She was determined to get rid of the voice in her mind and took a step closer to the edge. She was fighting against Naraku's orders not to end her life. He wanted her to come to him but she was fighting against it for all she was worth.

But before she could even jump she felt warm and comforting arms embrace her, then she heard a gentle voice say, "My little miko, do you really think that killing yourself will help get rid of Naraku? I thought that you were stronger than this, why are you letting Naraku control your destiny? These lands need its miko and a certain Youkai Lord needs you very much."

Kagome was struggling in this person arms while she tried to move away from him. "No one needs me! No one wants me! So, let go of me and let me end my pathetic life."

It was next to impossible for her to free herself. His grip felt like steal around her body keeping her in place, when she heard the deep gentle voice continue, "Sleep my little miko, sleep, when you wake you will find that everything will be all right."

Kagome continued to struggle until the person that was holding her started his chant. It was a soothing chant, she started to calm down, her eyes close, and her breathing finally evened out. Kagome was put into a deep dreamless sleep where she could rest.

The person holding onto Kagome laid her down on the ground. He put his hand on her forehead and put a barrier around her mind to get rid of the arachnid. It would not due to let Naraku wreak havoc in the little miko's mind, then he felt her relax into a peaceful sleep.

He held up his staff and disbursed the clouds in the area. Hearing a vicious growl, he turns towards the little Youkai Lord that was now getting up off the ground, and coming in his direction. He saw his nose moving from side to side while he took in his scent.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru landed hard on the ground. He felt like he has been hit with a boulder, because his chest hurt from the impact. Slowly his eyes came back into focus while he was getting up from the ground. Then he sensed another presence near his miko. He snarled and took off towards the intruder, he was about to attack him when his nose twitched. He recognized this scent, then he recognized the person in front of him.

Sesshoumaru slowed his pace and came to a halt right in front of the old man and bowed. He never showed anyone respect. There were only two people that he will ever submit to. One was his father and the other was Konokarei, the spirit of the lands.

Konokarei noticed when the Youkai Lord slowly continued coming in his direction. He looked at Sesshoumaru with amusement in his eyes when he heard him say, "Greetings Konokarei." He saw Sesshoumaru bowed to him and gave a chuckle. "So, you know who I am?"

Sesshoumaru stood straight up when he heard his question, "There is not a Youkai alive who doesn't know who you are. You are the spirit of the lands."

Sesshoumaru then turned his attention to the little miko while he approached her. She seemed to be sleeping peacefully, he looked over to the spirit of the lands and asked, "Konokarei is she all right? I have never seen her act like this before."

Konokarei looked at the little miko with tender eyes. Then he turned to Sesshoumaru, saying, "She will be all right come morning. I have put a sleeping spell on her that will allow her to rest and not dream. Naraku has a way of getting into her dreams and making her suffer."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this, he never knew that Naraku went this far to torment the little miko, "I don't understand, how is he able to get into her dreams?"

Konokarei heard Sesshoumaru's question, but chose to change the topic, "Sesshoumaru, I think that we should move the miko away from the edge of the cliff. I doubt that she can break my spell but one does not tempt fate."

Sesshoumaru noticed right away that Konokarei did not answer his question, but agreed with the spirit and summoned the kit to him. He knew that Shippou would come when summoned. Within minutes of him calling for the kit he was in the clearing and making this way closer to the Youkai Lord.

-oOo-

Shippou was waiting patiently for his mother and Sesshoumaru to return. He knew that his mother was angry with the Youkai Lord when he saw the expression on her face. He was sitting against a tree relaxing, while Sango and Miroku were sitting by the fire keeping warm.

Then he felt a touch in his mind, he heard Sesshoumaru calling to him. He needed his help in a clearing not too far away from his location, he leaped from the ground and disappeared in a flash of blue flames.

Within moments he was at the cliff while he looked for the Youkai Lord. He saw him by the cliff while he took note that his mother was there on the ground not moving.

Alarmed that his mother could be hurt he rushed to her side and asked, "Lord Sesshoumaru what happened to my mother?"

Sesshoumaru turned and looked at the kit, "The miko will be all right. She is just asleep. I need for you to take her back to camp. You are to guard her until I return. I am entrusting her safety to you." There was a stern look in his eyes when he spoke to the kit. He was giving him a great responsibility and he hoped that he would live up to that.

Shippou looked at the Youkai Lord and nodded his understanding of his orders. He walked over to his mother while he looked at her. He has not been able to get near her since he matured. He could not help his feelings. She was his mother and he needed to be reassured that she was fine.

He bent down to pick her up in his arms. He was gentle while he cradled her body close to his to make sure she was not cold. He whined when he nuzzled her, asking her if she was all right. To his delight she responded to his touch and growled low in her throat indicating that she was fine and just needed to sleep.

Happy that his mother was not harmed in any way he got up from the ground with his mother in his arms, his four tails came around to cover and keep her warm in the cold night air. He then turned and started his journey back to their camp. He will protect his mother until Sesshoumaru returned to camp.

Sesshoumaru watched when the kit moved away with his miko. He was surprised when the miko responded to his nuzzle. He did not think that she would, but her maternal instincts kicked in and she reassured her kit that she was fine.

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat. Just seeing the kit with his miko and the way he was holding her in his arms made his own beast surge forth. It wanted more than anything to hold his miko, but could not. He was under this blasted spell that prevented him from holding her.

Once the kit was out of sight with the miko he calmed his beast and then turned his attention back to Konokarei. It finally dawned on him, in that moment in time, that the kit did not see him. Curious, he turned towards the spirit and asked, "Konokarei, why did the kit not notice you standing here?"

Konokarei had a twinkle in his eye, replying, "Only those who I wish to see me are able to. The kit never noticed that I was here because I did not want him to see me. You on the other hand can see me because we have much to discuss. Come young Lord, we will find a place to rest while we talk."

Konokarei then turned and started walking towards the forest. He found a nice big tree to rest his weary bones against, then lowered himself to the ground.

Sesshoumaru followed suit and sat in front of him to see what he wanted to talk about. He wanted to get this over with, since he wanted to go back to his miko.

Once Konokarei was settled on the ground he turned his attention to the young Youkai Lord, "Sesshoumaru, there is something that you need to know about this little miko. She has been hurt far worse than she is willing to admit. Your enemy Naraku uses this against her every chance he gets.

"Your half-brother has broken her spirit and she doubts her abilities. She thinks of herself as being worthless, a copy, a burden to her pack, but worst of all she thinks that she will never find someone to love her. Your half-brother has tormented the little miko for years now and the damage is great.

"Your enemy Naraku is aware of all of this. He enters her dreams to gain control over her body. But up until today she has fought off all attempts by the hanyou. Since the day her kit matured her defenses have wavered. She can no longer protect her mind and the evil hanyou is gaining the upper hand.

"He knows that he cannot possess her. He has tried several times to get her but has failed every time. She is a fighter but her will to live is slowly leaving her.

"She understands that what you did, saved her kit, but she is still a mother, Sesshoumaru. She misses him. She has doubts that anyone could ever want her as a mate. She has given up the idea of having children of her own and has decided that the children of the lands belong to her. She will be a mother to all the children regardless if they are Youkai, ningen, or hanyou."

Sesshoumaru was blown away by what Konokarei was saying. He has discovered a lot of things about the miko, but all this was new to him. But he heard something from the leaf spirit, that has him greatly worried, "Konokarei, can you tell me who else has hurt her?"

Konokarei looked at Sesshoumaru and asked, "Are you sure that you really want to know the answer to that question, Sesshoumaru? You know that the truth can often hurt us, that is where the saying, _Ignorance is bliss_ , comes from. If you don't look for the knowledge, then you will not be hurt because of it."

Sesshoumaru understood what Konokarei was saying, "Yes, I do understand, but I would still like to know the answer to my question."

Konokarei thought about Sesshoumaru's request for about a minute, then he decided on what he wanted to do, "Very well Sesshoumaru I will show you who has hurt her deeply in the past."

Sesshoumaru nodded his agreement and watched to see what Konokarei was going to do.

The old man brought his hand up as leaves started to gather there. They started going around in circles when it formed a ball of leaves in the palm of his hand. The ball lifted from his hand and floated between the two of them. He took his staff and made circles in front of the ball of leaves. Then to Sesshoumaru's amazement a picture started to form in the middle of the ball.

Sesshoumaru saw everything and everyone that has ever hurt the miko. He saw her as a child when the ningen children teased her about being different. He saw the day that her father died and left her alone.

Scenes from the time that she was traveling with the half breed were shown while he saw and heard everything he said to the little miko. He noticed the pain in her eyes and the tears that went down her cheeks, when she cried because she was inadequate.

Sesshoumaru observed the day Kagome witness Inuyasha mating with the corpse and how the half breed professed to love her when he was with another.

Then came the shock of his life when he saw himself hurting the little miko. The first time he rejected her as a mate, which was the first time they had a big misunderstanding between them. When he pulled away from her because he could not court her properly and wanted to give her a better life with someone else. He remembered how hurt she was when he did that.

The time she went and fought the ningen gangs in her era and how proud he was of her for the things she did to defeat those cretins, and finally when he took her kit to save his life. A mother's love can never be questioned but she knew what she had to do, even if it hurt her deeply.

Konokarei was watching Sesshoumaru while he observed everyone that has hurt the little miko. He also noticed the pain in his eyes when he himself hurt her. He understood that Sesshoumaru did not want to hurt her but he must think through his actions.

Sesshoumaru turned away from what he was seeing. He could not believe that he has hurt the miko this much. He was deep in thought when he heard Konokarei start to speak.

"Sesshoumaru this little miko cannot be allowed to die. She is the hope of the lands and the future of your kind. There is a reason why she was brought back to this era from hers.

"You must do everything in your power to get her mind off the hurt that she is trying to come to terms with. If she falls in despair again, the evil hanyou Naraku will take her for his mate after she kills you. That is Naraku's goal right now." Konokarei stated in an all-knowing voice.

Sesshoumaru listened to what Konokarei was saying, he knew he was right and he must spend more time with the little miko. He could not give her his intensions yet, but he hoped with all his heart that she will be able to tell that he wanted her as his mate.

Konokarei noticed that he was getting through to Sesshoumaru, he has his own ideas on how to distract the little miko and the Youkai Lord must act quickly. "Sesshoumaru, you must go and retrieve your ward. It is no longer safe for her to stay in the place where you have her hidden. Naraku knows where she is and is going after her. If he gets his hands on the small child, he will have control over you and the little miko."

Sesshoumaru snarled when he heard that Naraku knew where Rin was located. "I will go immediately and retrieve my ward. I will not allow Naraku to get his hands on her."

Konokarei nodded his understanding, "Sesshoumaru wait until the morning. Allow the little miko to go with you."

"But Konokarei, the miko is searching for the last jewel shards. She is traveling to the wolf clan to get the two shards that the leader of the wolves has." Sesshoumaru has no idea why Konokarei wanted him to wait until the morning, but he was going to find out.

Konokarei nodded his understanding, "I understand that Sesshoumaru but the little miko is not ready to face the wolf. In her present frame of mind, the wolf will be able to subdue her and she will forever belong to the wolf as his mate. If this was to happen then the delicate balance in the lands will shift and all would be lost.

"By waiting until the morning, you will give the miko the option of going with you. She will choose to go after the little girl, then make her way over to the wolf clan. The miko needs the distraction that the small child will provide for her.

"Remember she has lost her kit and her maternal instincts will be redirected to the ningen child. Allow her the opportunity to go with you. I'm positive that you will not be disappointed." Konokarei has now laid out his plan. If Sesshoumaru took his words to heart, then the little miko will be safe until she is ready to face the wolf.

But Konokarei knew that the little miko will not make it easy for the Youkai Lord. She has a strong mind and her heart is pure. If he even protested her going with him she will go on her own. Of this he had no doubt.

Sesshoumaru listened to what Konokarei said, _'There is no way that I will ever let that wolf mate with the miko. I will kill him first, the female is mine and I will not give up my claim on her.'_ "Very well Konokarei I will wait until the morning to go retrieve my ward." He only hoped that Naraku will not go after Rin until he was ready to retrieve her.

Sesshoumaru said his goodbyes to the spirit of the lands and made his way back to camp. He missed his miko and wanted to see how she was doing.

-oOo-

It was bound to happen that Kagome would have a breakdown in order to get control once again. Kagome understands that Sesshoumaru has an interest in her but with all the pain she suffered under Inuyasha, she doesn't want to assume anything. She did let Inuyasha know of her feelings and he repaid her love with mating Kikyou. She was not about to do that again.

In the next chapter Sesshoumaru tries to order Kagome to stay behind while he goes after Rin. Kagome being her stubborn self is not going to listen to him and she decides that she will go on her own to retrieve Rin.

Join me in the next chapter as things start to change for our lovable couple.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Shippou was making his way back towards the others. He was moving slowly through the forest and relishing the time he had with his mother. He loved her more than anything but since he has matured he has not been able to get close to her. He missed being near her, her warm touches, the cuddles that she would give him, and the warmth of her body when they slept close to each other.

He wished more than anything that he did not have to mature but that was not meant to be. He had to grow and mature. At least this way he could protect her when they were in battles for the jewel shards.

He was approaching their camp when he finally broke through the last bush before emerging from the forest. He walked slow and steady to make sure that he did not wake his mother.

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku noticed when Shippou came back. They observed the odd way he was making his way towards Kagome's sleeping bag.

They both noticed when Shippou left camp, he disappeared in a big blue ball of flames. They were wondering what was going on, when a thought came to their minds. Sesshoumaru must have been the one to call for the kit, thus why the kit disappeared so fast from their camp. There had to be something wrong for the Youkai Lord to call for the kit but they were not sure.

They knew that they were two packs traveling together, but even though they fought together as a unit they were still their own little groups, and functioned separately. The only thing they could do was sit and wait for Kagome to return to find out what was going on.

Miroku was the one to notice that Shippou's tails were covering up something in his arms. He slowly stood on his feet and Sango followed suit. She had no idea what was wrong when she whispered to the Monk, "Miroku, is something coming?"

Miroku shook his head stating, "No Shippou is holding something in his arms. His tails are covering it up and this might not be good. His aura is trying to hide the person but I can feel that it is Kagome."

Sango's eyes opened wide and quickly turned towards the kit. She saw him leaning down towards the sleeping bag and put Kagome down to rest. She did not waste any time and rushed to her sister's side.

Shippou instincts kicked in when he felt someone coming towards his mother. What the Youkai Lord told him rang true in his mind when he quickly turned around and snarled at Sango and Miroku. He was flexing his claws at his friends. He has given his word that he would protect his mother until the Youkai Lord came back and protect her he will, even from her friends.

Miroku noticed what the kit was doing and quickly grabbed hold of Sango to stop her from being killed. Of course, his lovely Sango did not appreciate what he did when she turned and tried to hit him.

Miroku avoided the blow that was heading towards his head and ducked under her arm. He then took his arms and wrapped them around the upper portion of Sango's chest, pinning her arms against her side. She was struggling in his hold, when he said, "Sango, please calm down, you are not making things any easier by acting this way."

Sango could not believe that Miroku of all people would stop her from getting to Kagome. She was still struggling when she said, "Miroku! What are you doing? Let go of me, I have to go and check on Kagome."

Miroku tried to talk some sense into the slayer, "Sango, my sweet, you must look at your surroundings before you go running off. If you look closely you will see that Shippou is not about to let us anywhere near his mother. She is unconscious on her sleeping bag but she doesn't seem to be hurt."

Sango stopped struggling long enough to look at Shippou. What Miroku has told her is correct because Shippou was standing in front of Kagome protecting her.

Sango took some deep breaths while she gained control and asked, "Shippou, what are you doing? Why are you preventing me from going to my alpha!" Sango noticed that Shippou's eyes were blood red. His beast was very much in control and she will not push to get to Kagome.

She figured that if she wanted to talk to him, he will respond if she used terms he was familiar with. Her idea seemed to work when they heard the kit say, "My alpha has entrusted her safety to me until he returns. No one will approach the female."

Miroku held on to Sango while he asked in a gentle voice, "Shippou is Lady Kagome alright? She was not hurt, was she?"

Shippou continued to stand in front of his mother while he heard the monk's question. His tails were moving wildly behind him in a way that they have interpreted to mean that he was highly agitated. They just hoped that Shippou will at least answer their question.

Shippou was fighting against his beast trying to gain control. He was only doing what their alpha has asked of them. Slowly he calms his beast when his eyes start turning back to green. Once he was calmed he stated, "She is only sleeping. Sesshoumaru asked me to bring her back here and protect her. I can sense that she is very tired and in a deep sleep. If you value your life you will not come near her until Sesshoumaru returns."

Miroku nodded his understanding, "All right Shippou we will wait until Sesshoumaru comes back to camp. But if you see that she is hurting you will tell us immediately so we can take care of her, agreed?"

Shippou listened to the monk and nodded his head in understanding. He relaxed once Miroku and Sango moved back to the fire to wait for Sesshoumaru to return. He went and sat next to his mother, just enjoying his time at being this close to her. He just hoped that Sesshoumaru would come back soon. He didn't think that Sango was going to sit still and wait until Kagome woke on her own.

Sango was not happy about being dragged back to the fire. She wanted to check Kagome to make sure that she was all right. She did not understand what was wrong with Miroku when he finally released her and she turned on him with fire in her eyes.

She looked like she was about to kill him and Miroku took a step back in fear. Then he heard her say, "Miroku why did you stop me? I could have handled Shippou if he tried to get in my way. I have to see if Kagome is hurt."

Miroku tried to reason with Sango, even though she did not want to listen, "Sango please, Shippou was not in control of his body. His beast was very much in charge and if you would have gone to Kagome you would have been killed. His beast does not recognize who we are and since we are not part of his pack he would attack and kill us.

"We can't blame Shippou for doing what he was told to do. It must be a great honor for him to protect his mother until Sesshoumaru comes back. I have read that in Youkai society if an alpha asks a member of their pack to do something for them, it's because they have great confidence in their abilities.

"Plus, you know as well as I do that Sesshoumaru is the one that stays by Kagome at night. He is always near her and will protect her no matter what. He knows that we can protect her but not as well as another Youkai can."

Sango seemed to understand and calmed down. She did not like it but she will wait until Sesshoumaru showed up. They both settled once more around the fire to wait for the Youkai Lord to return.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru hurried through the forest and made his way back to the pack. He has spent too much time away from his miko and needed to get back to her. His beast was getting restless and he was becoming difficult to control.

He finally made it back to camp, he slowly made his way over to the kit, who was sitting down near his mother, keeping a watchful eye.

Shippou noticed when Sesshoumaru came back and stood up. He waited for Sesshoumaru to come closer before he bowed low to him.

Sesshoumaru looked at the kit, he was pleased that his miko was still sleeping, finally getting some rest. "Kit has the miko woken since you have been back here?"

"No Lord Sesshoumaru, she has not moved or awakened since I put her down in her sleeping spot." Shippou answered while he stood and looked at his Lord.

Sesshoumaru nodded his approval of what the kit told him. He was about to go to the miko when he noticed that her pack was coming closer to him. He stood there and waited to see what they wanted.

Sango and Miroku did not miss when Sesshoumaru came back to the clearing. He came floating in on his cloud then he went towards Shippou. They quickly stood and went towards the Youkai Lord, Sango wanted answers and she was bound and determined to get them.

Once they were close, Sango demanded, "Lord Sesshoumaru why did you prevent us from getting near our alpha? You have no right to keep her from us."

Sesshoumaru growled at the Taijiya, he did not appreciate her talking to him in such a manner, "Slayer, this Sesshoumaru does not have to explain himself to you. I as alpha, have a right to protect the alpha of your pack if she is weakened in any way or incapacitated. You have no right to question this Sesshoumaru's actions." He got the satisfaction of seeing the slayer turn red from embarrassment.

Secretly Sesshoumaru was proud of the kit for keeping the miko's pack from getting near her. He knew that he could not be mad at the kit if he let them approach. He did not have a right to keep their alpha from them but he was bound and determined to keep her safe.

Sesshoumaru then turned his back on the ningens and said to the kit, "In the morning we will be traveling back to the west to get my Ward. Naraku is after her and I will not allow any harm to befall her."

Shippou understood his alpha and nodded his agreement. Miroku who was hearing what was going on turned to the Youkai Lord and asked, "Lord Sesshoumaru will we be accompanying you in the morning?"

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the monk, "That will be up to your alpha, monk. I will tell her of my plans when she wakes in the morning. For now, we will stay here until she recovers."

Everyone agreed as they all went to sleep. In the morning, they will find out what they were going to do.

-oOo-

Naraku was having what can only be termed as a temper tantrum. He almost had the miko under his control when she let her guard down.

He has been trying for weeks now to take control and have her come to him. His incarnations have been unable to obtain his miko. She was more powerful than he thought and she has fought off all his minions.

Every night he has been trying to see if he could attack her when her guard was down. Kanna was instrumental in that when she would show him where the little miko was located.

He had tried earlier to find her but Kanna was unable to find her location. Then suddenly her mirror clears and he could see that she was having an argument with Sesshoumaru.

He got an evil smile on his face, then he started to see that her defenses were being taken down. When he felt that they were down he attacked.

He grabbed hold of her mind and forced his will on her. Even he was struggling to get her under his spell and to kill Sesshoumaru.

To his outrage the miko fought not to hurt the Youkai Lord, she hit him just hard enough to be thrown back from her. Then his eyes opened wide when he saw that she was trying to kill herself.

He strengthens his spell to make her stop and come to him. He was fighting against her will when suddenly his spell was broken and the image on Kanna's mirror went blank. He screamed his outrage and started to destroy his castle. The servants were all running to make sure they hid from his anger. After about 3 hours Naraku stopped destroying the castle.

He stood at the window of his bed chambers, thinking on what his next move was going to be, then he had a thought, "You have gotten away from me this time miko but I will get something that you care deeply about. I will make sure to cause it much pain to make sure that you come to me. I will not give up on you."

Naraku turned and went to bed. Soon he will have the female of his dreams and her powers. He will make sure to keep her under lock and key. She will be his, of this he had no doubt.

-oOo-

Morning came and everyone was waiting for Kagome to wake up. They had the area cleaned up so they were ready to move.

Kagome was slowly waking up. She had a terrible headache when she started to remember what happened the day before. She could just kick herself for letting her guard down and allowing Naraku to enter her mind. Being controlled by that bastard was something that she did not relish.

She slowly sits up, rubbing the back of her neck to alleviate her pain, while she took a deep breath. She looked around the area to see who was still with her. To her surprise her pack was still there and so was Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the miko woke up from her sleep. He walked over to her when he stops by her side. He looks up into her eyes, he could still see the hurt in them from the night before. He took a deep breath and stated, "Miko, this Sesshoumaru wishes to speak to you."

The way that Sesshoumaru said he wanted to talk to her gave Kagome cause to worry. She could see the fear in his eyes when she agreed to his request. They were a good distance away from the others, asking, "Is this place all right for you or would you like to move away from this area?"

Sesshoumaru noticed how pale his miko was. She has not eaten and what she went through last night was draining what little color she had in her cheeks. "No this will be fine. Miko, this Sesshoumaru must leave."

Immediately Sesshoumaru felt Kagome's distress when he said that. So, he quickly continued with what he was saying. "Naraku is after Rin, I have been informed that he knows where she is located and is going after her. I cannot leave her unprotected. Once I have the rest of my pack we will return to your group. If it is acceptable, I would like our packs to travel together until we put an end to Naraku."

Kagome's heart ached, she knew this was going to happen. Why would he want to stay with her when she was acting so rude to him? Tears started to form in her eyes while she tried to get herself under control. Then she heard his next statement and her mind starts to work even faster.

' _I have to go to Rin. I must find a way to get to her as soon as possible. But how are we going to travel there? Plus, I have no idea where she is located.'_ Kagome's mind was going supersonic when she got an idea.

She opened her mind and projected her thoughts to the trees around the area, _"Can you hear me trees of the lands?"_

The children of the forest responded to the little miko when she heard their answer. She got her thoughts together and then sets her plan into motion. _"Trees of the lands I need your help. I need you to find a ningen child that is about 8 summers old. She wears an orange kimono and is in the company of a two-headed dragon and a kappa. Can you find her for me as fast as possible? She is in danger and I need to locate her."_

Kagome held her breath when she heard, _**"Lady miko, we will find the one you seek as fast as possible."**_

Kagome was happy with this when she hears the branches on the tree move and the leaves rattle around the area. There was no wind blowing so it was strange to hear this. Somehow, she knew that the trees were communicating with the other trees in the lands. Now all she had to do was wait until they gave her an answer to where Rin was located.

She then turns her attention back to Sesshoumaru as she asks, "Sesshoumaru when did you find out that Naraku was after Rin?"

Sesshoumaru was looking at his little miko. She seemed to be distracted while he was telling her about Rin. Then he heard her question and answers, "I found out last night."

Kagome's eyebrow went up under her bangs, "Then why didn't you leave last night? You could have been by her side by now if you left."

Sesshoumaru was not sure how to answer her question, and thought about it, "You were not well last night. Konokarei had to put you under a sleeping spell to get you to calm down and not try to jump off the cliff you were standing on. I could not leave you like that. But now that you are awake and I see that you are fine I can take my leave and go find Rin."

Kagome was not expecting that answer from Sesshoumaru. She thought that when it came to Rin, he would not let anyone but himself protect her. But he had stayed in this area to make sure that she was all right before going to Rin. This thought sent a warm feeling through her body and she quickly made up her mind, "Sesshoumaru I'm coming with you."

Sesshoumaru smiled internally. His little miko was true to form and she wanted to go with him. But his instincts were getting in the way, his need to protect her became over powering. There was no way that he will let her anywhere near danger, "That will not be necessary miko. This Sesshoumaru should be able to find his ward and then return here to you. You miko need to eat because you didn't eat last night and the last thing I need is for you to get weak from lack of nourishment."

Kagome huffed, she did not want to eat, she wanted to go to Rin as soon as possible. She was about to argue with him when her stomach growled very loudly indicating that she was hungry. It was a hunger that told her that she did not eat that well the day before and if she did not eat it was going to cost her. "Very well Sesshoumaru you can leave."

Kagome got up from the ground, she rolled her sleeping bag up and put it in her back pack. She turned and started to make her way over to her pack. It did not matter to her; she will do as she pleased and go after Rin herself.

Sesshoumaru stood there watching his little miko. He knew that she was going to put up an argument. He was ready for her to be ranting and raving stating she wanted to accompany him, but what he was not ready for was her answer. She was willing to let him go?

Something did not feel right to Sesshoumaru, somehow, he could not see the little miko obeying his orders. "Miko, you will stay here in this area and await my return. I don't want you traveling to the wolf clan without me. When I return with Rin then we can go and retrieve the jewel shards."

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she heard Sesshoumaru. _'How dare he think that I'm going to sit here and wait for him to come back.'_ She turned ever so slightly and said over her shoulder, "You can go and find Rin but don't expect me to sit here and wait for your return. I will do as I please and you have no say in it." She then turned and went towards her pack. She needed something to eat before they left this area.

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear her answer. He thought that his orders were clear but his bitch was not obeying. This thought aggravated him to no end and he went after her. She will respect his wishes and wait for his return. He looked up and noticed when his female went towards her pack. He quickly followed her not willing to let her out of his sight.

Sango noticed when Kagome was walking towards them. She quickly got a bowl of stew for Kagome to eat. Once she gave Kagome her food she took what was left and asked Shippou if he wanted it. The kit, never one to turn down food, quickly ate what was left as the pot was cleaned and then put away.

Kagome thanked Sango for her food, she then stood and faced the forest. Her stomach was full, now she needed some answers and quickly. She turned and started walking into the forest, she wanted to touch a tree to see if it had any information for her. But before she could even reach it, the branches on the trees in the area started to move, while they were speaking to the little miko.

" _ **Lady Miko we have found the one you seek. She is northwest of here and it will take you four days to reach her location on foot. She is with the two-headed dragon and kappa."**_ The trees stated to Kagome.

Kagome understood their message but before she could turn around and talk to her pack she heard the voices of the forest continue, _**"But Lady Miko, you don't have the luxury of getting there on your own. Our brothers and sisters to the north have informed us that there are three others heading in her direction. They will be there by late this afternoon."**_

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she heard this. Her mind was working fast while she tried to figure out what she was going to do. She needed to travel quickly to the northwest to Rin's location.

Then she got a wicked grin on her face when she came up with a plan. Konokarei told her that she needed to practice with her new powers and he wanted to see improvements by tonight, otherwise he will punish her. She was not about to let that happen. She was sure that she could do this and made up her mind.

Kagome turned, she was about to go to her pack when she sees Sesshoumaru floating right in front of her. The look in his eyes was enough to tell her that he was pissed about something and she had a feeling what that something was. She waited to see what he wanted and she was not disappointed when she heard him start to speak.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was a very irritated Youkai now. His female was very defiant and was not willing to stay here and wait for him to return with Rin. He thought that his orders were clear enough for her. He did not understand why she would have problems following them.

Sesshoumaru waited until the miko ate her food. He was happy that she was eating, at least she will have her energy back. When she was done, he saw her walking off into the forest and followed. When she stopped in her tracks he was confused. He did not know if she was detecting anything in the immediate area.

He opened his senses and searched the area, when he did not find any threats, he waited for her to turn around. He noticed that the trees around the area were moving their branches. He thought this strange since there was no wind blowing through the area.

Sesshoumaru observed when her powers were growing once more. Her aura was a vibrant green and every powerful. When her aura reseeded back into her body she turned around and noticed his presence. He floated closer to her and stated in a very regal voice, "This Sesshoumaru is leaving now miko. You will stay here and wait for my return."

Kagome raised an eyebrow at what the Youkai Lord was saying, "You can leave anytime you want Sesshoumaru but don't expect me to stay here and wait for you."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her defiance, "Where will you be miko? This Sesshoumaru does not want you going to the wolves without his presence."

Kagome huffed, she was clearly irritated by what Sesshoumaru was saying to her, "I'm not staying here Sesshoumaru, and I'm not going towards the wolf clan, so you don't have to worry."

Sesshoumaru was relieved to hear this but it did not answer his question, "Miko answer this Sesshoumaru's question."

Kagome walked right past Sesshoumaru, ignoring him, she was clearly upset at him and made her way towards her pack, and asked, "Are we ready to leave?" She got conformation from everyone that they were ready.

Kagome closed her eyes, she was concentrating on her powers while she talked to the trees in the area, _"Please allow me to leave this clearing. When I'm high enough in the air I will need you to move your branches please. Plus, will you show me the way to my pup?"_

Kagome got verification of her request. She started to gather her powers and summoned the wind. Slowly the winds start picking up. She started to form a cloud under her feet and around her pack as it began to solidify.

Sesshoumaru was shocked to see what his miko was doing. He has never seen her use this much power before. He floated in front of her face and asked, "Miko where are you going?"

Kagome opened her eyes while she kept the image of what she wanted in her mind and replied, "I'm going after Rin. If you want to come with me then get on otherwise move out of the way because I'm leaving. Naraku's minions are already on their way to her location and we don't have much time. They will be there by late this afternoon."

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this, he turned towards the kit, "Get on the cloud we are traveling with the miko."

Shippou did not have to be told twice, he jumped from where he was standing and landed right next to his mother. He stood by her side as the cloud slowly started to go up into the air.

Sango and Miroku were scared out of their minds. They never knew that Kagome could do this but here lately she has been surprising all of them with her abilities. Slowly they saw a cloud forming under their feet as it became solid and then it started to go up. They looked up when Miroku yelled, "Kagome, how are we going to get through the tree canopy?"

Kagome never answered his question because as she got closer to the branches they all started to move out of the way. All the branches were slowly parting to allow her access to the open sky. Once she was clear of the trees she started to move the cloud forward. It was moving slowly at first, until she got the hang of what she was doing, then she started to pick up speed.

Sesshoumaru landed on Kagome's shoulder when she started to move the cloud forward. When she started to pick up speed Sesshoumaru's tail went around the miko's neck. His hand clutched her haori as he held on for dear life. They were moving fast and the wind threatened to make him fall off Kagome's shoulder.

Kagome, seeing that Sesshoumaru was having trouble staying on her shoulder reached over and grabbed him in her hand. She pulled her haori out along with her juban and stuffed him inside the chest band that she wore around her breast, "Stay in here Sesshoumaru, that way the wind won't knock you off my cloud."

Kagome noticed the ripple on the tree tops while she was picking up speed. She was following where the trees were leading her. She looked at her friends and yelled, "Hold on everyone. Sango, Miroku, you may want to sit down, we are going to be moving faster."

Sango and Miroku did not understand what she was talking about until she started to move the cloud faster towards the west. They both quickly sat down on the cloud and grumbled that they did not know what was wrong with their friend because they have never seen her this powerful before.

Sesshoumaru was in heaven, he was situated right in between his miko's glorious mounds. He turned his head while he nuzzled her and growled gently. Her skin felt so soft to the touch, even softer than what he remembered in his dream.

Sesshoumaru's beast was having thoughts of his own when his tail moved down the miko's juban. It extended down when he reached her stomach and gently started to rub. It was a gentle caress meant to soothe their female.

Kagome felt when Sesshoumaru nuzzled her in between her breast. She flushed red then her heart beat picked up, but what got her was the feeling of Sesshoumaru's touch by her stomach. She was very ticklish on her stomach but what he was doing was slowly relaxing her. She faltered in her concentration as the cloud dipped just a bit. She got her focus back and then she raised a hand up to stop his tail from caressing her.

Sesshoumaru was enjoying himself when he felt the miko's hand touch his tail. He had no idea that his beast was doing this to the miko, he then moved his tail back up to his shoulder. He growled while he scolded his beast, _'You will not do that again. When you soothe her like that she can lose her focus on what she is doing and the cloud we are riding on will cease to exist. If that happens then we will all fall to our death.'_

Sesshoumaru's beast huffed but he did see the logic behind his words. He stopped what he was doing, he settled down and took in his miko's scent. He was happy just being close to her but he was worried that something might happen to her when they meet up with Naraku's minions.

Kagome noticed how tired Sesshoumaru was. She knew that he had stayed up all night to make sure that she was protected when she was vulnerable. She let her aura rise and then wrapped it around Sesshoumaru's body and soothed him. She noticed when his eyes were getting heavy, they were slowly closing while her aura continued to relax his body. It did not take that long for him to fall asleep, she wrapped her arms around her chest and held him closer to her.

Shippou did not miss what his mother was doing. He knew that Sesshoumaru stayed up all night keeping an eye on his mother. He could feel how tired he was and apparently, his mother did as well.

He gave an internal chuckle when he saw his mother wrap her arms around her chest to hold him in place. But what caught him by surprise was that he noticed his mother's fingers slowly moving. She was gently combing her fingers through Sesshoumaru hair while he was gently growling with what she was doing. Whether she was aware of what she was doing or not she was showing her feelings for the Youkai Lord.

To his surprise Sesshoumaru was showing his feelings to his mother, when he wrapped his tail around her wrist to make sure that his female did not leave or stop showing him affection. Shippou understood that Sesshoumaru's beast was very much aware of what she was doing and did not want her to stop.

Shippou now knew for sure that his mother held feelings for Sesshoumaru and he was happy. Soon he will have his mother with him once more and he will be able to approach her without others thinking that he was a suitor.

The group traveled for a good portion of the day as they were nearing the area where Rin was located. Kagome thought it best to let Sesshoumaru wake up for what was about to happen. She released him from her aura when she started to feel that he was waking up.

Sesshoumaru woke from his slumber while he yawned. He never knew that he was so tired, but what got to him was that he did not remember falling asleep. He growled when he felt that the miko's aura was wrapped around his body. She had put him to sleep once more and he did not appreciate what she did to him.

But now was not the time to argue this point, he then turned his attention to where they were located. He could see in the distance the valley of flowers where he left Rin with her protectors. He picked this place because he knew that Rin would enjoy this area.

Sesshoumaru continued to watch what was going on when he heard an explosion close to where Rin was located.

Kagome noticed the smoke coming from the valley up ahead, her heartbeat increased, as fear took over her body. She started going faster and raced to the valley. She knew that they were after Rin and she had to do everything in her power to make sure that she protected the little girl. There was no way she was going to let Naraku grab her daughter.

When she was nearing the valley, she noticed a feather off to the right. She surveyed the valley down below as a swarm of Youkai were trying to get to Rin. The little girl was currently by the two-headed dragon while they tried to protect her. Jaken was in front of them, he was using his staff of two heads to burn away his enemies.

Kagome quickly turned to her pack and said, "Sango, Kirara, and Miroku, I want you three to go down there and help protect Rin. Lord Sesshoumaru, Shippou, and myself will go off to fight Naraku's cast offs."

Sango wasted no time, she threw Kirara up in the air while she transformed into her true form. Kirara floated just above the cloud when Miroku and Sango climbed on her back and then took off. She was heading straight for the battle that was in the valley. Sango took her Hiraikotsu off her back and when they were close enough she jumped from Kirara's back and threw her weapon at the Youkai.

Her weapon struck true as it mowed down the Youkai that were closet to the little girl before heading back into her hand. Miroku took his ofuda's and threw them at the Youkai that were in the area. He immobilized the Youkai as Sango's weapon made quick work of them. They continued to battle hard as Jaken helped to defeat the ones that were after Sesshoumaru's ward.

-oOo-

Kagome and the others went towards the feather that was in the distance. Her cloud got smaller as they traveled quickly to where Kagura was waiting for them.

Sesshoumaru by this time has gotten out of Kagome's haori and was now sitting on her shoulder while Shippou stood by her side prepared for battle. He was determined to protect his mother and protect her he will.

Kagome slowed her cloud and stopped a short distance away from Naraku's incarnations. They faced off against each other to see who would win.

Hakudoshi saw the little miko in the distance and she was quickly making her way over to his location. He did not know that the little miko was in this region and he would bet that Naraku did not know as well. He noticed the cloud that she was standing on and wondered how Sesshoumaru could produce his youki cloud when he was so weak and defenseless. There was powerful youki in that cloud and he needed to find out how this was possible.

Hakudoshi noticed the Youkai Lord sitting on the miko's shoulder, he was trying to find a way to defeat her so he could take her back to Naraku.

Naraku has been in a foul mood for the last couple of days and he hoped that if he brought him something to play with he would calm down and not kill any more servants.

Hakudoshi mind was working fast to come up with a plan to get the miko, when he saw them stop in front of them, "Well, well, well look who we have here. Miko I didn't think that you were in this area of the lands. As a matter of fact, your last known location was 4 days southeast of here. Have you changed your mind in coming with us so Naraku will calm down?"

Kagome stopped in front of Naraku's incarnations and narrowed her eyes at them. She was not about to let them take her pup anywhere. She heard Hakudoshi's comment and replied, "There is no way that I will go to Naraku. He can burn in hell for all I care. You on the other hand will not leave this area alive. You have been warned to stay away from what is mine and now you will pay the price."

Sesshoumaru did not miss what the little miko claimed. She was defending his ward and claiming the child as hers. Her maternal instincts served her well and his chest puffed out with pride. He knew now that she was his for he will never let her go. She claimed his pack as hers and that was a vow to him that she would be loyal to him. He turned his attention back to what was happening when he heard Hakudoshi laugh.

Hakudoshi just chuckled, thinking that he had the upper hand, "Kagura, get rid of her."

Kagura thought about what to do. There was no way that she could hurt the little miko but she had no choice in her actions. If she refused, then Hakudoshi will kill her. She turned her red eyes to the little miko and tried to convey her apologies before she attacked her. She pulled her fan out of her obi and flipped it open. She took aim and yelled, "Dance of Blades!"

Kagome noticed the look that Kagura was giving her. She knew that Kagura did not want to attack her but she had no choice. It was either that or die and Kagura was not about to die.

Kagome already knew what to do, she brought her hand up and disbursed the wind from around her attack. The attack disappeared before reaching her and it caught everyone by surprise.

Sesshoumaru and Shippou were both surprised when they saw Kagome disburse Kagura's attack. They had no idea that she could do that, or how powerful she was. Then they noticed when her anger was starting to grow. The cloud they were on was taking on her anger as well, when the puffy white cloud started to turn grey. The angrier she got the darker the cloud got as it became a dark storm cloud.

Kagome maneuvered her cloud to make sure that any attacks they sent will not go towards the battle that was being fought down below. She noticed how angry Hakudoshi was when he yelled, "Kagura! I said to kill them!"

Kagura didn't know what to do. She never expected the miko to be this powerful. She brought her fan up as she yelled, "Dance of the Dragon!" Four tornados came out of her fan and they go towards Kagome.

Kagome was ready for this attack, when she sent her own attack towards Kagura. Her attack was like Kagura's but her tornados were twisting in the opposite direction of Kagura's attack, when they meet in the sky. Kagome neutralized her attack while it died off like a slow breeze in the wind.

Hakudoshi was not about to be defeated by a mire ningen female, he brought his spear up and sent an attack of his own towards the miko. He was sure that she will not be able to stop his attack. He was grinning wide when suddenly the smile left his face in disbelief.

Kagome's anger grew tenfold and the cloud she was on responded to his attack. A bolt of lightning left the cloud as it went straight towards his attack. It exploded between the two groups when Kagome placed a barrier around herself and her group, only to watch as Kagura and her feather were tossed in different directions.

Kagome had enough, she put both hands in front of her and then created a barrier around Naraku's incarnations. The wind was denied to Kagura as the feather they were on went down hard. They dropped like a big rock out of the sky and landed on the ground in a heap.

Kagome brought her cloud down and then got rid of it when she was only a few inches off the ground. Kagome started to move her fingers signaling her son. He knew her hand signals and he could tell Sesshoumaru what she wanted. Shippou was to go after Kagura but not hurt her. Sesshoumaru was to handle Kanna and if he could get her mirror away from her then she will be powerless to do anything against him. She will go after the most powerful, Hakudoshi.

Shippou understood what his mother was saying. He tried concentrating so he could speak to Sesshoumaru in his mind but he did not know how to open communications with him. He growled because he did not learn this little bit in his training and now he needed it. He got an idea as he growled in a high pitch that only the Youkai Lord would be able to hear. He relayed his mother's message to him and watched when he became upset.

Sesshoumaru did not know what the miko was doing. He noticed that her fingers were moving very fast. He thought that she was having some sort of spasms in her hand and was moving her fingers trying to get them under control. Then he heard the kit calling out to him, he was relaying a message from the miko.

Sesshoumaru became angry that the miko wanted to go after Hakudoshi. His eyes flashed red when he leaned into her ear and quietly said, "Miko I will not allow you to go after the most powerful incarnation. I will fight against him and you go after the mirror child."

Kagome was not pleased to hear Sesshoumaru's command, she turned her head and asked, "Do you trust me?"

Again, Sesshoumaru was caught off guard by the miko's question. "Yes, I trust you but you cannot let your defenses down when you have an opponent like Hakudoshi."

Kagome smiled at Sesshoumaru for his concerns, "Then have faith in me that I know what I'm doing. Stick to my plan and everything will be all right."

Sesshoumaru did not have a choice now. He told her that he trusted her and if he did not let her carry out her plan then she will not bend to his will. He reluctantly agreed and got ready to go after the void Youkai.

Kagome reached up and got her sword out of her hair, transforming it. She was going to make sure that Hakudoshi did not leave this area in one piece. She could feel that her friends were still holding their own against the Youkai that they were fighting but they were getting tired. She needed to finish this as soon as possible.

-oOo-

Hakudoshi and the others landed hard on the ground. The wind was knocked out of them as they all rolled over and tried to get up. They could not believe that the miko had this kind of power. He was now determined to kill her at all cost, Naraku be damned. He set his sights on the miko and yelled, "Attack!"

Kagome took off after Hakudoshi while Shippou went after Kagura and Sesshoumaru went after Kanna. They battled hard as Shippou was using his new-found powers to go after the wind witch. His fox fire was more powerful than ever before, when Kagura jumped out of the way of his attack. She sent a wave of her Dance of Blades as Shippou disappeared only to reappear behind her. Shippou hits her hard and sends her flying into the trees.

Sesshoumaru was battling against the void Youkai, his whip came out to try and knock the mirror out of her hands. Kanna tried several times to suck his soul into her mirror but each time that she tried the jewel around his neck prevented her from taking it.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the void Youkai was holding her mirror off to the side when her powers grew, she started to concentrate to let the mirror Youkai out. He could not let this happen, he came in once more and finally knocked the mirror out of her hands. It landed on the ground and Sesshoumaru quickly moved to protect it. Try as she might Kanna could not get the mirror back, because Sesshoumaru was preventing her from getting near it.

Kagome had her hands full with Hakudoshi. His attacks were powerful but she was getting tired of dealing with him, that's when she released an enormous attack from her sword.

Hakudoshi noticed the attack that was coming towards him and he formed a barrier around his body, the attack hit him full force pushing him back a couple of feet, he was just barely strong enough to stop it when Kagome's anger grew.

She was keeping track of what was going on around her when she noticed that Kagura was about to attack her kit. He was just hit with one of her attacks and was struggling to get up. Dark clouds developed overhead and they became ominous. They were gathering power as a bolt of lightning came down from the sky and hit Hakudoshi. This was all she needed, she removed a star from within her obi and sent it towards Kagura.

Her attack hit Kagura's fan and destroys it. Shippou seeing that his mother attacked Kagura let go of his Dragon Fire and sent it towards the wind witch.

Kagura saw the fire attack that was coming from the fox. He has grown more powerful than before; she then threw her feather into the air and jumps on. She was glad that she could get out of the way of that attack since it was so powerful.

Kagura looked for Kanna, she saw the void child dive under Sesshoumaru's attack to get to her mirror. She rushed in and grabbed her before the Youkai Lord's whip came in to kill her.

Hakudoshi noticed that Kagura had escaped the attacks that came towards her and yells, "Kagura, go after the child and take it back to Naraku. I will hold them off here."

Kagura did not want to go after the ningen child but when she looked up she saw Naraku's Saimyosho. A scowl came to her features when she noticed the hell bugs. They were watching everything that she was doing and she was sure that Naraku was keeping a close eye on her.

There was no way that she could sneak away with the bugs nearby. She headed towards the battle that the Youkai were fighting to get to the girl. She will try to get Sesshoumaru's ward away from the pack and take her back to Naraku.

Kagome dodged one of Hakudoshi's attacks when she heard his words. She kept her eyes on the child Youkai and then yelled, "Shippou!"

Shippou heard his mother and understood what she wanted. He took off towards the others while he yelled, "I'm on it!" and disappeared in a flash of blue flames. Sesshoumaru moved over to the miko and landed on her shoulder to help her fight against Hakudoshi.

Kagome avoided another attack and she had enough. She concentrated on the earth when the roots of the surrounding trees came up out of the ground and impaled Hakudoshi through various parts of his body. He was immobile for the moment and that's what she needed. She put her hands out to the side and created a bow and arrow from her Reiryoku. She poured everything she had into that arrow, then she takes aim and fires.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sesshoumaru has learned a few things about Kagome, especially when she makes up her mind to do things.

Sorry please don't kill the author for leaving you hanging, but this battle was long and I had to split it up. I will post the second part of this battle soon.

Join me in the next chapter when Naraku goes after Kagome.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Hakudoshi screamed in pain when he was caught off guard. There were various tree roots that impaled his body and he was being held off the ground. He started to summon his powers so he could get free. But try as he might the roots would not let go of him. It looked like the roots had a mind of their own, he would get rid of a few roots but then 3 more would take their place.

Hakudoshi heard something in the area and looked up. To his horror, he noticed a big pink ball of fire heading straight for him. He doubled his efforts to get free from the trap he was in but it was to no avail. He was hit full force.

The barrier he created to protect himself broke, when the attack hit his body. He screams in pain as he was slowly purified. By the time the arrow did its job he was nothing but a big pile of dust on the ground.

Kagome fell to her knees breathing hard. That attack took a lot out of her, just like the leaf spirit said it would, but she didn't have a choice on how she was going to get rid of Hakudoshi. She had to purify him to make sure that he didn't come back to harm her pack.

Sesshoumaru was with her when she fell. He couldn't stop her fall when she fell on her knees. He knew that she hurt herself because he could smell the blood coming from her injury. He looked up and gazed into her eyes. He was worried about her, "Miko are you all right?"

Kagome closed her eyes, while she called upon the earth to give her some energy. The lands were more than generous as they provided the miko with what she needed. Slowly Kagome's powers return to her and when she had enough she broke contact with the lands.

Kagome gave the earth her thanks for making her powerful once more, while her breathing slowed down. She heard Sesshoumaru's question and answered, "I'm fine Sesshoumaru, but we must go to the others. They are getting tired and the Youkai are going in for one final attack. We have to go and save Rin before she is taken from us."

Sesshoumaru agreed with her statement, "I agree miko but how are we going to get there when you are exhausted from fighting Hakudoshi?"

Kagome closed her eyes, but before she could summon her cloud she heard the trees and flowers talking to her, _"Lady Miko, you must hurry! The young kit is in trouble with the ningen child. They will hurt him soon but he is trying his best to protect the young one. But they are outnumbered and need your assistance."_

Kagome heart started to race. Her kit was in trouble and they were after Rin. Rage like no other took over Kagome's being when she formed her cloud once more.

These powers did not drain her as much as the use of her Reiryoku. She was still on her hands and knees when she took off to where Shippou and her pack were located. She traveled as fast as possible, her anger fueling her resolve. Her eyes started to change color when she tapped into that power deep within her. Her hair grew longer with streaks of red, as a deep blue tear drop appeared on her forehead, with a silver star in the middle.

Sesshoumaru was perched on her shoulder, when he heard her speaking, "Hang on Shippou, I'm coming, protect Rin until I get there."

Sesshoumaru had no idea where his female got all these powers. He was perplexed as to how this could happen, that he resigned himself to ask his female later. Then he heard the miko's words, his heart started to race, now he understood what was going on as the miko gathered her cloud and took off at a fast pace to the battlefield.

Sesshoumaru moved into the back of her haori to stay with her. He was hiding on the back of her neck as the miko was moving with tremendous speed. She moved faster than he did in his orb of light as they were rapidly approaching the others.

-oOo-

Shippou came into the clearing where Rin was located. He noticed that Sango and Miroku were fighting the hordes of Youkai that were trying to get to Rin.

Jaken was just behind them taking down any Youkai that got through them. The fighting was fierce as they were fighting with everything they had to protect the little girl.

Shippou looked for the dragon, he spotted them some distance away from Jaken. The little girl was standing next to the dragon while he protected her with his balls of fire and bolts of lightning. They would not let anyone come near them as they got rid of them as quickly as possible.

Then Shippou noticed a powerful Oni going towards the dragon. It was not affected by the dragon's fire and he was about to grab Rin.

Shippou rushed in, cracking his knuckles. This started the release of his own brand of poison. He jumped, drawing back his arm, picking the location for his strike, he hit the Oni on his neck. Once his poison was released he moved quickly away from the Youkai, heading towards Rin and the dragon.

-oOo-

Rin was scared out of her mind. She saw the Youkai coming towards her when she tried to hide next to Ah-Un. She screamed, the hand from the Oni was almost upon her, when someone came in and attacked the Oni in front of her.

Rin was grabbed and moved out of the way as Ah-Un followed right behind her. She heard the male yell, "Now Ah-Un combine your attacks to destroy it!"

Ah-Un heard the order and did as they were told, it only took one blast of their combined strength to take down the Oni, then they turned their attention to the next threat and continued to battle on.

Rin looked up, she noticed someone who looked familiar to her. "Who… who… who are you?"

Shippou looked down when he saw a wide-eyed Rin looking right at him. He smiled at the little girl, "Hi Rin, don't you remember me?" At Rin's confusion, he smiled again, "Let me give you a hint." He reached over and tapped her arm saying, "Tag! You're it!"

Rin's eyes opened wide when she heard that. There was only one person that ever-played tag with her. "Shippou? Shippou, is that you?"

"Yes Rin, it's nice to see you again. But our reunion must wait until we defeat these Youkai that are after you." Shippou looked off to the side as another Youkai was coming in to attack. He moved Rin to his back as two of his tails moved up and covered her body. His tails will make sure that she stayed put and it will protect her at the same time. "Rin, I want you to hold on tight. I will protect you no matter what. Mama and your Lord will be coming soon. All we have to do is survive until they do."

Rin understood and held on with all her strength. She could not believe that this was her friend Shippou. He was smaller than her the last time she saw him. Now he was almost all grown up, how could that happen? She must wait until the fighting was over in order to ask her questions.

Shippou moved with speed while he avoided attack after attack. His eyes were turning red when his beast was slowly coming forth. It understood the command given to him by his mother and his alpha. The ningen pup was part of his pack and he had to protect her. His alpha has entrusted her safety to him and it was up to him to fulfill those orders.

Sango and Miroku noticed when Shippou came into the fight. They got their second wind and continue to attack with a vengeance. Youkai were going down all around them while they continued to battle.

The small group was winning the battle when an unexpected guest came into the fight.

-oOo-

Naraku was deep in the forest watching what his incarnations were doing. He was getting tired of not having his orders carried out and wanted to see firsthand what was going on.

Inuyasha's pack was proving to be a pain in his side. These ningens were formidable and he cannot have this. He ordered one of the Oni to grab the young girl and bring her to him.

The Oni was almost there when someone else came into the fight. He was a powerful Youkai, he used poison to stop the Oni from grabbing the girl. He also knew how to destroy his Oni when he called for the dragon to attack.

To Naraku's surprise it was a Kitsune that was with the group. He had no idea who this could be, the only Kitsune he knew about was but a kit. This one was full grown and had four tails making him very powerful. But that did not matter to him, he had enough, and went in for the kill himself since he had no more Youkai left to attack them.

Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippou, Rin, Ah-Un, and Jaken came together as a group. They just finished off the last of the Youkai as they joined together to see if everyone was all right.

They were standing around talking to each other when Naraku came into the fight. Kagura and Kanna were floating on a feather as the group got into an attack formation.

Naraku floated down from the sky, laughing in the groups face. "Ah, how nice for all of you to be gathered in the same area so I can destroy you once and for all. But wait, where is the little miko and Lord Sesshoumaru? Have they abandoned their packs? And where is that half breed Inuyasha?

"Oh… don't tell me, let me guess, he must be with the priestess Kikyou. That would explain why the little miko is not here. She is heartbroken over Inuyasha's betrayal. She is worthless if she allows that half breed to hurt her in such a way.

"But enough talk, since the miko and Sesshoumaru are not here, you have something that I want and you will hand over the child." Naraku stood there patiently waiting for them to hand over the child. But he was in for a rude awakening.

The first one to respond to his demands was Sango when she yelled, "You bastard! Kagome is not worthless! It's Inuyasha that is the fool for leaving her and going to that corpse. Plus, Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru will never abandon their packs. It is you who are WORTHLESS!" Sango threw her Hiraikotsu as everyone else attacked at the same time.

Kagura was looking for the child but was unable to find her. She was hidden among the group and her task now was to find her.

Naraku will not keep them busy for very long and if she failed it would be her death. He has seen everything that happened in the fight with Kagome and he was not pleased. She looked around the area and when she did not find the child, she started to think, on where she could be.

Kagura noticed that the Kitsune had a couple of his tails up behind him. To her it looked like he was protecting something and she went after him. She had no choice in the matter, it pained her to hurt the kit, but it was either him or her and she was not going to die this day.

The battle was getting bad. Miroku and Sango were trying to protect Shippou who had Rin with him, but they were no match for Naraku.

Shippou was moving with speed while he sent attack after attack towards Naraku. He knew that Kagura was in the area, he needed to keep a track of her, because if she got close enough, she could attack him to get Rin. The others knew that he had Rin and were staying close.

Naraku was having fun with these fools. They were a bunch of weaklings. He took his tentacles and sent another attack towards the slayer. He was having fun getting her to lose her temper while he taunted her, "Slayer do you want to know about your little brother? He has been a very good boy in serving his master. You should be proud of him for doing so."

Sango was having none of it when she yelled, "You bastard! You are not his master and I will get my brother back from you. Mark my words, Naraku, I will release him from your spell and get him back."

Sango dodged a tentacle and sent her Hiraikotsu towards Naraku one more time. She took off one of his tentacles then dodged another and jumped from the ground, catching her weapon in the process. She saw another attack coming her way, she released the sword on her forearm and sliced through that attack as well.

Miroku was fighting against Naraku while he used his staff to beat the tentacles back from Shippou. He did not know how much longer he will be able to last. He was exhausted from the previous battles but he must protect Shippou and Rin.

Miroku knew that Kagome cared about them and he did not want her to be hurt anymore. She deserved to be happy and he was determined to protect both of her children. He dodged another attack then noticed a tentacle heading for Shippou. He didn't have time to stop it when he yelled, "Shippou look out!"

Shippou has been battling hard against Naraku. Naraku wanted Rin and he was not about to give her up to him. His alpha and mother were depending on him to keep her safe.

Ah-Un were preventing Kagura from getting close to him as his fire and lightening kept her at bay.

Shippou had just avoided another attack while Jaken's flame from his Nintojo destroyed the attack that was after him. He heard Miroku's warning, quickly turning around, he noticed another attack heading straight for him. He tried to move out of the way but was hit in the chest.

Shippou cried out in pain, when he hit the ground hard. He still had Rin with him while he puts an arm across his chest to stop the flow of blood. Turning pained filled eyes to what was going on around him he noticed when the others were coming towards him. That's when he felt it, a rage so great that it put fear into his own heart while he looked for the source of that power.

Shippou's eyes opened wide when he found the source. A small smile came to his lips when he whispered to the little girl, "Don't worry Rin, momma is coming to help us." Shippou was breathing hard when he noticed that the others came to protect him. He now knew that Rin would be protected and passed out from blood loss.

-oOo-

Kagome was traveling fast towards her children. She knew they were in trouble as the trees and flowers kept her informed about what was going on. She was rushing to their side when she felt it.

Kagome's breath hitched when her body started shaking in pain. One of her pups was hurt. That bastard hurt her pup.

Something snapped inside Kagome and she allowed her anger take over. Her aura grew tenfold when her power started to go around her body. Her eyes turned blood red, they were filled with determination to get to what was hers to protect it.

Sesshoumaru looked up at the little miko when he observed how red her eyes were. _'Something must have happened to the pups for my miko to act this way. She is acting like a bitch going towards her pups to protect them. Could one of them be hurt?'_

The thought of one of the pups being hurt brought out his own beast and he gave a vicious growl. Sesshoumaru was shocked out of his anger when he heard his own miko give a familiar growl back to him saying, _'Pups hurt, they need us mate, we must travel quickly to protect our pups.'_

Sesshoumaru growled back gently to his mate stating, _'Yes mate, we must protect our pups.'_ Maru was very much in control of Sesshoumaru at this point as his blood red eyes matched the ones on his female. They were a pair of angry parents on their way to protect their pups, and no one was going to stop them.

Kagome was nearing the area when she saw Shippou go down. Her anger flared even more when she saw another attack going towards her pack and pups.

Her hands were still making contact with the cloud as it started to rumble. She released her attack as a lightning bolt went towards Naraku, but this lightning bolt was different, it contained some of her Reiryoku, making it a powerful attack.

The lightning struck true as it hit in between her pack and Naraku.

Naraku was surprised when he jumped back from that attack. He was frantically looking around to see who would dare to attack him. It was a powerful attack; the lightning bolts were infused with Reiryoku and it was purifying him slowly.

The jewel that he possessed started to react to the Reiryoku and he struggled to keep it tainted. He looked up as something landed right in front of him. The aura on this person was very powerful, as slowly, the cloud of dust started to settle down.

Kagome attacked with a vengeance and spoiled Naraku's attack. She landed right in front of her pack, pulling her sword out of her hair, she started to feed it her powers. She was drained of power from fighting Hakudoshi, but she hoped that she had enough to finish him. She was tired of always having to be on guard because of this bastard and now he has attacked her pups! No one hurt what was hers.

The smoke slowly started to clear from the area as Miroku and Sango looked on. Someone came to their aid and they were powerful.

Miroku could feel the spiritual power of this person when they landed right in front of them. They did not know if this person was friend or foe so they were taking no chances. At least Miroku has never felt this powerful aura before and he was wondering who it could be.

The smoke slowly started to clear from the area. Everyone saw a lone figure down on one knee in front of them, with a sword out to the side. It held tremendous powers as they tried to see who it was.

Sango and Miroku's breath hitched when they noticed who it was. Miroku's eyes opened wide when he thought, _'Kagome has gotten stronger since the last time we saw her. I wonder what caused the transformation this time? Wait, could it be she is reacting to Shippou being hurt and Naraku going after Rin?'_

Naraku on the other hand was having different thoughts when he looked at the female in front of him. She was powerful, her light and power was calling to his beast. It wanted the little female as their mate and he had to agree with his beast. She was the perfect female for the position while his eyes moved over her perfectly formed body.

It has been a while since he has seen the little miko. She has grown into a beautiful woman and he will have her as his mate.

Naraku moved to get a better look at the female when she stood up to face him. He was happy with what he saw. She was beautiful, powerful, and his. He must have her. "Finally miko, you show up to protect your pack. I thought that you would abandon them just like Inuyasha did for Kikyou."

A scowl formed on Kagome's face, then she said with disgust in her voice, "Why are you here Naraku? You never come out of your hole to do any of the dirty work yourself. So why did you risk coming out this time to fight?"

Naraku chuckled at her outburst, "Did you not say that if I wanted you to come to me that I should come in person? You have denied all my invitations to come to me. Well I'm here, you will come with me now, and become my mate. You will submit to me as your alpha."

Kagome stood there and faced her enemy. He will pay for attacking and hurting her pups. Blood red eyes looked at the half breed in front of her when she heard his words. Her anger grew even more and said in a deadly voice, "You must be delusional Naraku, to think that I will ever submit to a weak individual like you. You are not my alpha and never will be. I would rather die than be your mate. But… you are going to pay for hurting my pups."

Naraku snarled when he heard what she said to him, "Who are you calling weak, bitch? I will show you who is the most powerful between us. You have no choice, you will become my mate, and once you have my mark I will take all your powers and I will be unstoppable. So, you see little miko you have no choice now, I will make you mine!"

Kagome heard what Naraku was telling her, _'Yea right bastard, like I would ever mate with your sorry ass. There is only one person that I will ever submit to, and even he must fight to make me submit to him.'_

Then Kagome heard the angry growl coming from her neck as Sesshoumaru was losing control over Maru. She growled low and gently so only he could hear, _"Calm yourself Maru, I will never be his mate. So, you don't have to worry about him. I will never submit to him."_

Sesshoumaru was losing control over his beast. He did not take too well to hearing Naraku's claim on their female and he was about to attack. Then he heard his mate talking gently to them. It soothed his beast when he heard her words. His chest puffed out at her words while he calmed down. His female was powerful and she will submit to no one. He calmed while he waited to see what she was going to do.

Kagome moved into an attack position and got ready to fight. "Sorry to disappoint you Naraku. I already have a mate and he is far more powerful than you. I will submit to him and only him. So, you see I don't need your sorry ass. But I am going to make you pay for touching what is mine and hurting my pups."

Sesshoumaru froze when he heard his females claim, _'My female has a mate already? But I don't see any marks on her neck. Who is she talking about? I must wait until this battle is over with to find out. She will answer my questions this time. She is mine and no male will hold claim to what is mine.'_ Sesshoumaru was agitated and when he looked down again, to his surprise, he noticed his courting mark on her neck. He has only seen this mark on her neck when they were both in their dream world together, so how is it that it's now present in the waking world. He really didn't understand but he will wait to talk to his little mate later.

Naraku anger grew, the miko claimed that she was already mated but he sensed no mark on her. He looked closely and noticed that she was carrying a courting mark on her shoulder. He could not see who it belonged too or pick up any scent from the owner. She must be masking the scent and mark so he would not know who was courting her.

This pissed Naraku off even more and he had enough, unleashing an attack against the miko. He will subdue her and when he does he will then take and mate her on the spot. He was not going to leave anything to chance when it comes to her.

Naraku tentacles shot forward as they went straight for Kagome.

Kagome saw the attack coming and got ready. She did not move a muscle but her mind was working fast. The trees and flowers warning came before he attacked her from behind and leaped out of the way.

Dark storm clouds formed up in the sky as the wind started to pick up. Kagome landed right in front of her pack once more when her mind struck the first blow.

Kagome saw Kagura going towards Shippou while the rest of her pack was busy watching her, leaving her pups unguarded. She growled viciously, gathering the wind around her and sending two blasts towards her enemy.

The first wind attack hit Kagura before she reached her pups, hitting the feather she was riding on with such force, that it knocked Kagura and Kanna into a tree, braking it in half, as it fell to the ground. Both Kagura and Kanna were knocked unconscious while Kagome turned her attention back to Naraku when her attack hit him.

The wind hit the arachnid with such force that it threw him a few feet away from where he was standing. He had cuts all over his body, the wind was like a knife that was cutting into his make shift body.

Blood started to come down from Naraku's forehead, surprising him that the little miko could injure him like this. _'She is more powerful than I thought. I must be careful around her.'_ He wiped the blood away from his eyes and faced off with his miko. He will have to go in hard and fast to try and subdue her.

What surprised him the most was that she was using powers that he has never seen her use before, and he must be cautious. He thought that he could taunt her and go after the Kitsune once more. He was on the ground unconscious and the others were just standing around not paying attention.

Naraku got his thoughts together and put two of his tentacles into the ground, sending them after the miko's pups. When he grabs them, he will have something that she will want back, therefore he will have leverage over her. She will do anything to get them back including becoming his mate. It was the perfect plan; he will inflict pain to control his miko.

Kagome was watching Naraku closely to see what he was going to do. The trees in the area gave her a warning to what he was up to and she immediately reacted to the threat.

Naraku thought his plan was working since the miko never took her eyes off him while he sent his attack towards the pups. He was about to grabbed them when his eyes opened wide with disbelief.

The trees warned Kagome of what Naraku was doing while she searched for Shippou's talisman, when she found it she channeled her Reiryoku into it and formed a barrier around his body.

Naraku's tentacles went towards the kit but just before he made contact a barrier stopped him from reaching him. It was the most powerful barrier he has ever felt. It purified his tentacles in an instant, when he quickly pulled away from his target.

Kagome lost it, when Naraku tried to get to her pups to control her, it was the last straw. She brought her sword up and combined the wind and her Reiryoku, sending the whirl winds of a tornado straight towards Naraku. It hit him full force as it started to rip apart his body and purify him at the same time to make sure he could not regenerate again.

Naraku could not believe the power that the miko held. There was no way he could win this battle, he decided to cut his losses. He grabbed Kagura and Kanna as a burst of miasma came forth from what was left of his body and he vanished. He will return to get his mate when he had a better plan to subdue her.

Kagome was breathing hard when Naraku left the area in a hurry. He was hurt and will not bother them for a while.

She turned her attention to her pups and slowly made her way towards Shippou.

Sango was impressed with what Kagome did, she never knew that Kagome had this kind of power, and made her way over to her friend. Sango stopped in her tracks when she heard Kagome's warnings to stay away. Kagome's eyes were still red with anger while Sango and Miroku kept their distance from her.

Kagome made her way over to Shippou. When she arrived, her barrier came down and kneeled next to him.

Kagome looked at his wounds, she determined that Shippou has been poisoned by miasma. The miasma was keeping his wounds open, causing him to still be bleeding.

Kagome took her hands and placed them on top of Shippou's wounds. She closed her eyes and concentrated on healing his wounds and getting rid of the poison.

Sweat was coming from Kagome's forehead while she poured everything that she had into healing Shippou. His wounds finally closed after she got rid of the miasma.

Her pup was finally resting comfortably when she sat down next to him, trying to catch her breath. But her rest was interrupted when a super hyper little girl came running up to her yelling, "LADY KAGOME!"

Kagome quickly turned and caught Rin when she jumped into her arms.

-oOo-

Rin was scared out of her mind. She was pinned against Shippou's back when he was attacked and now he was not moving. His fluffy red tails were keeping her safe as the others battled the Youkai that wanted to take her away from her new family. She did not understand why they wanted to do this but she was not going with them.

Rin moved closer to Shippou and held on tight to his haori. She was afraid, afraid that they will take her away from the only living family that she had left.

It took her a long time to find someone that would take care of her when she found it in her Lord Sesshoumaru. She knew that he was very caring and protected her from harm. That's why she was here with Ah-Un and Jaken. He did not want her to get hurt so he left her behind to be protected.

Now these Youkai were after her and she was scared. She was afraid that she will be captured and that they will use her to get to her Lord. She will not let that happen, she cared for her Lord and did not want him hurt in any way.

But when they hurt Shippou she thought that they might get her. Then she heard Shippou say that his mother was coming to protect them. She was excited to see Lady Kagome again. Even though Kagome was not her real mother she always considered her as such. She always took care of her and protected her when her Lord was not there to do so.

Rin crawled out from her hiding place when she heard no more fighting going on. Shippou's tails were loose around her body so it allowed her to crawl out from under him. Rin peeked out of the furry tails when she sees Kagome sitting there. Tears appear in her eyes when she yelled her name and ran right into her open arms. Her tears left her eyes while she held on for dear life.

The next words that came out of her mouth totally shocked Kagome, "Mama, I was so scared. Please don't leave me. Please mama I want to stay with you until my Lord comes back."

It took everything Kagome had not to be bowled over by Rin when she ran into her arms. She held the child close to her chest and growled softly for her. It calmed Rin down when she was being rocked back and forth by Kagome.

Kagome's heart was complete. This pup still needed her unlike her other pup. He has matured into a young adult and does not require her protection any more but this little one did.

Rin gave her life a purpose, she now had something to protect and care for again. Kagome rocked Rin in her arms and slowly calmed the poor child down. She was humming softly to her when Rin finally stopped crying.

Once Kagome noticed that Rin has stopped her crying, she pulled her away from her chest to look at her. "Rin… are you hurt anywhere?"

Rin looked up with blood shot eyes from all her crying. She smiled a small smile, replying, "No Lady Kagome, I'm not hurt. Shippou-chan protected me when those Youkai came to take me away. Is he going to be all right?"

"Yes Rin he will be fine. I have healed his injuries and he is just sleeping. He will wake up shortly." Kagome looked at Rin with kind and caring eyes. She was happy that Rin was all right and was not harmed in any way. She was about to continue when she felt someone coming towards her.

Kagome quickly stood up and pulled Rin behind her for protection. She turned and gave a vicious growl to the ones that were about to attack her. She was not about to let anyone near her pups, she will kill whoever wanted to do them harm. Her powers were starting to grow once more as she took a battle stance. She did not even recognize who was coming when she sent a blast of her Reiryoku towards the intruders.

-oOo-

Sango, Miroku and the others were watching what was going on. They were so surprised by the level of power that Kagome exhibited that they were in awe with it.

Sango started to make her way over to Kagome again, she wanted to treat her wounds after the battle. She ignored Miroku's warning not to go near her and hurried on her way.

Sango was near Kagome when an attack came her way. Sango stopped in her tracks and her eyes opened wide. She could not believe that Kagome, her best friend, and little sister was attacking her.

Sango felt arms going around her body when she was lifted off the ground, narrowly missing the attack that was sent her way, while someone pulled her to safety.

Sango looked over her shoulder and saw Miroku behind her. He was moving her out of harm's way when he landed on Kirara's back and she took them to safety.

The small group landed a short distance away from Kagome and her group. Sango was almost in tears when she yelled, "Kagome! Why are you attacking us? We are your pack. Why would you want to hurt us?"

Sesshoumaru was observing everything that his little miko was doing. She was every bit the alpha bitch when she tended to his ward and Shippou. She had so much power and that power would increase tenfold when she was pissed and protecting her pups.

Sesshoumaru saw his chance, he slowly started to growl to get his mate to calm down. Her powers were slowly going back down, when his female moved with such speed to protect what was hers.

He saw the miko's pack trying to make their way over to their alpha when his female reacted to their approach. Sesshoumaru witness when she attacked her own pack, while the monk moved quickly to get the slayer out of the way. He had no idea why she was doing this and started to growl, yip, and snarl at his female.

His miko growled back saying, _"They abandoned my pups. They would let that bastard and his incarnations harm them, because they were too busy watching what I was doing. Their priority is to protect the pups of the pack, for the pups are the future. I see now that all they will do is cause harm to my pups. From this day forward they are no pack of mine!"_

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear this. His miko was disbanding her pack because they failed to protect her pups. He knew that it was her right to do so. Any member that could not protect the pups of the alpha female were banished from the pack. How his miko knew this he had no idea but he did understand that she would be heartbroken if her friends left.

Sesshoumaru moved from her shoulder and formed his cloud under his feet. He floated right in front of her face while he whispered to her, "Miko, stand down, I will take care of this."

Kagome was not about to backed down and she was about to voice her opinion on his suggestion when she heard, "Do you trust me miko?"

Kagome blinked in surprise when her own words were used against her. If she answered no, then they would part ways. She did not want Sesshoumaru to leave her just yet. They still had a lot to think about as far as their relationship was concerned. And anyway, she did trust him. She looked over Sesshoumaru's shoulder to the others that were standing off behind him. She lowered her eyes and replied, "Yes."

Sesshoumaru smirked when he heard her answer. "Then miko, tend to the pups and I will see to the others. We need to move from this area to a safer location before night fall. We don't want to be out in the open when it gets dark. We need a place that is easily defendable so we can rest for the night."

Sesshoumaru noticed when the miko agreed with his statement and backed down. Her eyes were still red but her aura was calming down. He then turned his attention to the rest of the pack and made his way over to them. He was not happy with the miko's pack, the slayer was becoming difficult to control. The monk was having a hard time trying to keep her calm.

-oOo-

Miroku had his hands full with Sango. She was inconsolable when it came to Kagome's rejection. She just did not understand what was going on and she would not listen to him.

Jaken was standing there wondering where these pathetic ningens came from. He knew them to travel with the half breed but he has yet to see him anywhere near here. He noticed when the miko came into the battle to fight against Naraku. He has never seen so much power coming from one female before. She must be the most powerful female in the lands.

But through all of this he was wandering where his Lord was located. He was sure that he felt his presence during the battle but he could not find him. He turned his attention towards the slayer and said, "Why are you pathetic ningens here? I didn't need you to come into this fight to protect Rin. I was doing just fine by myself. Who told you to interfere?"

Miroku was about to answer that when they all heard a vicious growl coming from in front of them.

Jaken turned when he heard the vicious growl coming from behind him, his eyes opened wide in shock. He could not believe his eyes. His Lord, his wonderful and powerful Lord was less than a foot tall. His great stature has been reduced to nothing. He turned angry eyes towards the ningens and yelled, "What have you all done to Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Jaken was so upset, that he was about to attack with his staff of two heads, when a whip came out and burned his hands, causing him to drop his weapon. Then he heard, "That's enough Jaken!" Jaken looked up, he noticed his Lord hovering near him, and asked, "Lord Sesshoumaru what have these ningens done to you?"

Sesshoumaru looked at Jaken with cold eyes. They were so cold that if he could freeze Jaken with that look he would have. He then turned his attention to the others in the clearing. The monk was still holding on to the slayer and moved closer.

Miroku noticed when the Youkai Lord moved closer to their location. He was still holding onto Sango as she stopped to look at Sesshoumaru.

Sango was at her wits end as to why Kagome was acting this way when she saw Sesshoumaru coming closer to them. She stopped her struggling in Miroku's arms and looked at the Youkai Lord, demanding, "Lord Sesshoumaru! Why is Kagome acting this way? What have you done to her?"

Sesshoumaru huffed when he looked at the ningens in front of him, "SILENCE! Who are you to question me? You are just pack and not my equal to be demanding answers from me." His eyes turned blood red from his anger while he kept his eyes on the miko's pack.

Miroku quickly put his hand over Sango's mouth to prevent her from lashing back at the Youkai Lord. He bowed as best he could with Sango, "Please forgive her my Lord, we meant no disrespect. We are worried about Kagome and we are wondering why she is acting this way. Have we done something to displease her?"

Miroku had a hunch on why Kagome attacked them but he needed to confirm his suspicions. If it was what he was thinking about then they were in big trouble and they will have to work hard to make it up to Kagome.

Sesshoumaru saw that the monk was trying to smooth things over with him. He asked respectfully if there was something they did wrong. The monk understood that they have done something to upset the little miko but he did not know for sure.

Sesshoumaru snorted and stated, "Yes monk you have both pissed off the little miko."

Sango's eyes opened wide when she heard this, she was trying to respond but Miroku had his hand over her mouth and she could not communicate with the Youkai Lord.

Miroku was surprised to hear this, he had his suspicions but he didn't know that he was right in his thinking. He kept a hold on Sango and lowered them to the ground while he asked, "Please, Lord Sesshoumaru, could you please explain where we failed her? It was not our intention to fail her in any way."

Sesshoumaru observed the two in front of him while he saw them bowing low to him. He heard the monks request and decided that he should tell them. If anything, they can try to make it up to the little miko so that she does not disband the pack. He knew that she was serious when she spoke that she would. "Monk, it is the miko's wish to disband the pack."

At Sesshoumaru's statement Sango froze. Tears started to form in her eyes while they were slowly go down her cheeks. _'Why would Kagome want to disband her pack? What did we do wrong?'_ Sango had no idea what her sister was thinking about and stayed still to listen to what the Youkai Lord was saying.

Miroku had no idea why Kagome would disband the pack. Whatever they did it was serious if she was thinking about doing this. He waited with bated breath to see if the Youkai Lord would continue with his statement.

Sesshoumaru watched the miko's pack. They truly had no knowledge on why this was happening. He saw the worried looks in their eyes and waited patiently for him to continue. "All of you as pack members are to protect everyone in the pack. When I joined your pack, it united us into one. You were sent after the Youkai that were after my ward and were to defend her at all cost.

"The kit was sent to help you because the miko could sense that you were severely outnumbered and that they were close to getting the child.

"When the kit came into the battle you relaxed your guard and let the kit defend the child. This is not acceptable. The mission of the pack is to always protect the pups. The pups are the future of our pack and they are to be cared for and defended. Especially if your alpha female claims a pup as her own. The alpha female expects her pack to protect that which is hers to the death. To leave her pup unprotected will not be tolerated."

Miroku was surprised by this, he thought that they protected Rin and Shippou very well. "How can this be? We were protecting Shippou and Rin. We never left their side and made sure that they were not hurt."

Sesshoumaru growled at the monk's reply, "Is that so monk? Then why is it that the kit is hurt?"

Miroku lowered his head when he heard Sesshoumaru's question. He failed to protect Shippou and he was hurt because of it. "This is my fault, it was my fault that he was hurt. I let that attack get by me and it hurt Shippou. If anyone should be banished from the pack it should be me not Sango."

"No monk, you were not the only one at fault in this. You both did nothing to protect them when Kagura and Naraku went after them. You were both standing there just watching what the miko was doing and didn't even tend to the wounded pup. He had to wait until his mother was done with the battle to get any type of help because you refused to help him.

"In the eyes of the alpha female, anyone, no matter who they are, who does not protect a pup of the pack are banished. But since this pack is so small her only option now is to disband it. This is the reason why she was warning you away from her pups. She is still very protective of them and you can never go near a female that has just battled to protect her pups.

"You must leave her be for a while until that channeled anger goes away. When the slayer decided to go towards the miko she disrespected her by saying that she was not strong enough to protect her own pups and she was challenging for alpha female.

"Understand this, the only reason I stopped her from attacking you is because I know she would be hurting come morning. She is not in her right mind and she is acting every bit an alpha bitch right now. She is acting more Youkai than ningen at the moment. So, I suggest that you stay away from her.

"You can follow Jaken back to the cave that they were using. I will take the miko deep into the cave and you will stay at the entrance. By morning she should be calm enough to talk to you both.

"But challenge me again slayer and I will not hesitate to put you in your place. You are not my equal and the only one who could demand answers from me is the miko. She is my equal in every way." Having finished with his lecture Sesshoumaru turned to his vassal and said, "Jaken, make sure you escort them back to the cave. You are to stay with them until the morning. Then we will decide where we are going."

Jaken did not like it one bit and yelled without thinking, "WHAT! Lord Sesshoumaru why are you in the company of these worthless ningens? How did you get to be so small? Who did this to you my lord? Lord Sess…."

Jaken never finished what he was going to say. He was hit with such force that he went flying into a tree. It broke in half while he landed on the ground unconscious.

Sesshoumaru then moved away from the others and went back towards his miko. He could see her off to the side while she was helping a dazed Shippou sit up. He looked up at the sky and noticed that they did not have that much sun light left. They needed to move out of this area as soon as possible.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Kagome did kill Hakudoshi but she did not destroy Naraku. If Sango only listened to Miroku she wouldn't be in so much trouble at this moment.

All right everyone, I want to give thanks to Advi for the idea of the parting trees when Kagome was lifting off the ground. That small part is part of one of her books that she is writing. It was a good scene and I put it in the last chapter and wanted to give credit where credit is due. Thanks Advi for that wonderful scene.

In the next chapter feelings are revealed and the pack starts to travel back to the Eastern Lands.

Until the next chapter

Ja ne!


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Kagome watched when Sesshoumaru went towards the others. She growled her displeasure at them for abandoning her pups and she was angered beyond her control. She turned and brought Rin closer to her while she held her in her arms.

Rin didn't know what was going on. One minute she was sitting in Kagome's lap and the next she was standing behind her when she attacks someone. She knew enough not to move from the place where she was put because to do so would be her death. She closed her eyes and waited, while she trembled with fear.

Everything seemed to be moving in slow motion for Rin until she heard nothing. Not even the birds were singing when she felt strong arms going around her small body. She was pulled into a tight hug when she felt a firm and warm body holding her.

Rin looked up and noticed that it was Kagome who was holding her. She felt comforted by her mother, then she wrapped her arms around Kagome's waist and just stood there with her.

Kagome noticed that Shippou's breathing was speeding up, meaning that he was about to wake up. She moved over to him, bringing Rin along with her. When she finally reached the kit, she sat down and pulled Rin into her lap.

Cradling Rin in her arm she let the child rest against her chest. Her ear was placed over her heart when she felt the child relax in her hold. Kagome then started to rock Rin back and forth, when she noticed that she was falling asleep. With one little one finally calming down she turned her attention to the one that was injured.

Kagome reached out with her right hand and gently caressed Shippou's cheek. She moved his hair away from his eyes when she noticed that his nose was twitching. She could tell that he was trying to find out who was with him. She smiled when he figured out that it was her and moved his head towards her hand and whined.

Shippou was starting to wake up when he felt a gentle touch. He recognized his mother's scent immediately and moved closer to her touch. It felt so good for her to show him some affection. He missed it terribly, but most of all he missed her.

All he wanted was to be near his mother. He whined when he felt the pain going through his body. Then he heard an answering growl that soothed him when he opened his eyes. He saw his mother sitting next to him while she held Rin in her lap. He could tell that Rin was sleeping in her arms. He could not blame her. His mother's scent would put anyone to sleep. It was so soothing to the senses and it was a wonderful scent. He often missed it when he slept at night.

He started to sit up so he could look around the area. He stifled a whine when he felt that his mother stopped caressing him. He still wanted her touch but now that he was awake she stopped what she was doing.

Kagome helped Shippou to sit and eyed him like a hawk. She was looking to see if he was still hurt in any way. "Shippou how are you feeling? Are you still in pain?"

Shippou looked over at his mother and noticed the concern look in her eyes. He grunted, replying, "No mama, I am in no pain. I feel good, thank you for healing me." He then turned his gaze to the little girl in her lap, "How is Rin doing? Was she hurt in the attack?"

"No Rin was not hurt during the attack. She is just exhausted from all the excitement." Kagome was still eyeing Shippou with concern. She did not know if the miasma was still affecting him in some way.

Shippou took a deep breath to fill his lungs. They did not hurt anymore and for that he was grateful. He looked at this mother from the corner of his eye. He noticed how tired she was but her eyes were still blood red from the battle. "Mother, are you hurt?"

Kagome eyes soften just a bit, her pup was worried about her, "No Shippou, I'm fine, just tired." She looked up into the sky while she continued, "We need to leave this place. I don't want to be out in the open when it gets dark. It will give Naraku an advantage if he decides to come back and finish the fight. I need to get you somewhere, to allow you both to rest. You are still weak from Naraku's poison and need to recover from it."

Shippou understood what his mother was saying but he wanted to talk to her about something before Lord Sesshoumaru came back. He noticed that Sesshoumaru was talking to Sango and Miroku and this was his chance.

He looked up from the ground and started to speak from his heart, "Mama, I never wanted to leave you. I never meant to accept Sesshoumaru as my alpha, but I owe him so much for teaching me how to control my beast. If he didn't step in I know I would have lost control and killed many. My beast is strong and it takes a powerful alpha to keep him in check.

"But mama just because I accepted Sesshoumaru as my alpha does not mean that we have to be apart. I know that you have feelings for Sesshoumaru. I have seen it in your eyes, the way you look at him.

"I just about gave up hope of you ever loving someone again. What Inuyasha did to you is unforgivable, I thought that he had damaged the caring heart that you have, but my fear was not warranted. You are still whole; your heart has learned to love again. If you were to mate with Sesshoumaru then we will be together again. No one will look upon me as a rival to mate you. I will just be your pup, that's all I ever wanted, to be your pup and you my mother."

Kagome was blown away by what Shippou was saying. He knew, he knew that she has feelings for Sesshoumaru but he was wrong. She could never mate with Sesshoumaru. She knew that he did not love her so why even hope for such things. "You're wrong Shippou, I have no feelings for Sesshoumaru. I won't put myself through all of that again knowing that he will never love someone like me. He has rejected me twice now and I understand where he is coming from. There is no way that he will take me as a mate no matter what my feelings are."

Shippou could not believe what he was hearing. His mother has gotten everything wrong. "Mama how can you say that? I know for a fact that Sesshoumaru loves you. I see the way he looks at you. I see the way that he tries to protect you. But Naraku's spell has him at a disadvantage. I thought that you knew.

"Mama, Inu Youkai are very loyal to their females but a male is to be the sole protector of his female and his pack. Sesshoumaru feels less than an alpha now because he cannot protect you the way that he would like. If he was in his normal form, I have no doubts that you would be his mate right now.

"A male Inu will only pick the most powerful female that will be their match because he needs a powerful female to stand by his side. He will love her before she will even admit that she has feelings for him. Mama you cannot give up on him. I know that he does not say that he cares for you but if you learn to read the little signs then you will see it as well as I do. Please mama will you at least think about it? For me?" Shippou looked at his mother with hope in his eyes, he was hoping that he could get through to his mother, because if he couldn't she will be making the biggest mistake of her life.

Kagome was listening to what Shippou was saying. She was shocked to hear all of this from her kit. _'Sesshoumaru loves me? Could it be true that Sesshoumaru is having trouble showing his feelings for me because of this curse? In my dreams, he has shown me so much love and affection but this is reality and my dreams are my dreams.'_

Tears started to come out of Kagome's eyes while she said in a low voice, "You don't understand Shippou, Sesshoumaru could never want a worthless female like me. I'm weak, worthless, not even his equal. He only has an alliance with me out of pity, so don't fool yourself into believing that he has feelings for me, because he doesn't. He has made that perfectly clear to me on numerous occasions.

"You have chosen your alpha and your destiny is now clear. I accept the fact that you accepted him as your alpha and that you are now lost to me as my son. But that does not mean that I will not protect you when you are in trouble. To me you will always be the son I never will have, just like Rin is the daughter that I will never have."

Shippou could not believe what he was hearing. His mother has totally given up on Sesshoumaru and he could not convince her that he wanted her as his mate. "But mama!"

"That is enough Shippou!" Shippou stopped what he was about to say when he saw the anger in her eyes. He lowered his eyes, "Please forgive me mama, I didn't mean to offend you."

Kagome had enough of what Shippou was saying. There was no way that Sesshoumaru will ever accept her for who and what she was. She was a filthy ningen that was not even his equal.

Then she felt someone coming towards her, she looked up and growled. She saw Sesshoumaru coming towards her and lowered her head. The conversation she had with Shippou had affected her while she looked down at the child she was holding and continued to rock her in her sleep.

Sesshoumaru floated back to his miko. He noticed that she was talking to the kit and then when she became upset. He was wondering what they were talking about that upset her so. He came to a stop in front of his miko and he noticed that she has been crying.

Sesshoumaru growled and looked at the kit with blood red eyes. _'This was the kits doing. He must have said something that upset the miko. I will have to speak to him later and remind him of his place in my pack. But for now, I must move everyone out of this area. We are all weak from battling today and need a safe place to sleep for the night.'_

Sesshoumaru floated near the miko and stated, "Miko can you stand? We need to leave this place and find shelter for the evening."

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru speaking to her and answered, "Yes, I can move. Do you know of a safe place for us to stay for the night?"

"Yes, there is a cave not too far away from here. It will protect all of us until the morning and then we will decide where we are going to go next. Now that our packs are united, we will be able to travel faster. Come miko let us go and find a place to rest for the evening." Sesshoumaru moved off to the side while he looked over his shoulder to see if the little miko was going to follow him.

Kagome slowly got up, holding Rin's small body closer to her chest, she followed Sesshoumaru to the cave that was not too far away from where they were. She did not utter a word the whole time she walking to where Sesshoumaru was taking her. She was weakening and fast, she needed to get Rin to safety before she gave into her bodies wants and desires to rest.

Sesshoumaru kept a watchful eye on his miko. She has not spoken since he came back and this worried him. He could tell that she was very tired and weak but she wouldn't let anyone touch Rin while she carried her.

The kit tried to get his mother to hand over his ward but she snarled viciously at her kit and then moved Rin closer to her chest. His mate would not give up her right to the little girl, no matter what he wanted. But it was a good thing that the cave was not too far away from where they were located.

It took no time at all for them to reach the cave. Sesshoumaru lead the miko towards the back of the cave which held a hot spring for his miko. He knew that she would welcome a nice warm bath after the battle that she had today.

Kagome walked deep into the cave that Sesshoumaru led her to. She found some furs that were on the ground, she grabbed hold of some of the furs and pulled some over to the side, making a bed for Rin. She laid the little girl down on the furs and then covered her up. Kagome sat there for a long time and watched the child sleep, thinking.

Shippou noticed how quiet his mother was, he was wondering if there was something wrong with her or was she detecting something in the area. He shrugged his shoulders and turned his attention back to his alpha, "Lord Sesshoumaru, if it pleases you I will go hunting for the pack."

Sesshoumaru heard the kit and agreed to let him go hunting. He still wanted to speak to him but it will have to wait. His miko was acting strange and he had to find out what was going on. He watched when the kit left them alone, now Sesshoumaru had his chance with the little miko.

Sesshoumaru approached Kagome, she was too quiet for his liking. She was normally very vocal and having her this quiet was not good. He was disturbed about her withdrawn attitude, when he stopped by her side. He looked up with concern in his eyes and asked, "Miko what is wrong? I can tell that something is not right. Will you share with this Sesshoumaru what has you so troubled?"

Kagome was deep in thought, she was sensing something that she did not like. Something was happening a long distance away from here. She couldn't tell what it was and she was thinking hard on who could be in that area.

Kagome looked up and stared out towards the entrance of the cave. Whatever it was, it was heading their way. "Sesshoumaru something is coming towards us. I don't know what it is but whatever it is it's not good."

Kagome looked around the area when she noticed that Shippou was missing. A growl left her throat, "Where is Shippou?"

Sesshoumaru was shocked to hear what the little miko was saying. _'Who could be coming this way?'_ He looked up when he heard the growl, he could clearly see her anger when she asked about her kit. "He went hunting for the evening meal. He is already on his way back with his catch."

Kagome grabbed her bow and quiver of arrows while she stood. She lost her balance but quickly regained it while she was making her way outside.

Sesshoumaru was shocked to see her move as he tried to stop her, "Miko you are too weak to fight again. You must remain with Rin and let me handle the threat that is coming."

Kagome did not listen to a thing Sesshoumaru was saying, she was concentrating on what was heading her way that was a danger to her pack and pups. She will not let anything harm her pups.

Sango and Miroku were sitting by the fire while they were waiting for Shippou to return. He had rushed out of the cave claiming that he was going hunting. They were both sitting down thinking about what they have done that has caused such a rift between them and their dear friend and sister.

They were not aware that they left her pups unguarded during that battle. They should have known better and paid attention to them. If they would have lost either child, they knew that their lives would be forfeited to Kagome. What they did is unforgivable and they could not blame Kagome for what she did.

They both sighed while they continued to think. Then they heard a noise as they both looked up. Their eyes opened wide and they both got to their feet immediately. They both saw Kagome coming towards them while they waited to see what she wanted.

When she just passed them by they followed her outside with weapons ready. They have seen Sesshoumaru with her and he was upset about something.

Kagome looked off into the distance while she tried to determine what was coming their way. She opened her senses to find Shippou when she felt him slowly coming back to the cave. She knew that her pack was standing behind her and said, "Miroku go and get Shippou, he is coming this way in that direction. I want him back here in the safety of the cave before this thing gets here."

Miroku did not waste any time and took off in the direction that she indicated to find Shippou.

Sango wanted to know what was coming but thought better of asking. She was still not in good standing with her alpha and unless she recognized her she could say nothing to her.

Sango was finally listening to Miroku on what was going on and what was proper behavior for a member of a pack. She didn't pay attention before and that was her down fall. She should have heeded his warnings when he gave it. She found out that Miroku talked a lot with Shippou and he was the one that filled him in on what was proper pack behavior.

They all heard a noise to the right as they turn towards that direction. They saw Miroku along with Shippou approaching the cave. Miroku had the carcass of a dead deer over his shoulder as they were hurrying into the cave.

-oOo-

Shippou was hurrying along with his catch. He stopped to clean it before he brought it back to the others. He had just finished when he heard someone running through the forest. He quickly stood and got into a defensive stance. He was about to attack when Miroku's scent hit his nose. He was wondering what was going on that Miroku was here looking for him.

He waited until the monk got close to him when he asked, "Miroku what's wrong? Is something wrong with mother?"

Miroku stopped in front of Shippou, then he grabbed the deer and said, "No Kagome is all right, she sent me after you. She wants you back at the cave now. Something is coming and she wants you safe, come on let's go. We both don't want her wrath."

Shippou understood and followed after Miroku. He had to admit that for a ningen he was fast. They arrived back at the cave a short while later while Miroku continued to the cave, Shippou went to his mother. But before he reached her he heard a vicious growl come from her throat.

Kagome noticed that Shippou was coming towards her, she growled and told him to go into the cave. He tried to argue with her but Sesshoumaru stepped in and snarled out for him to obey.

Shippou had no choice but to obey and headed into the cave.

Sesshoumaru had his senses opened and what the miko was sensing he was now picking up on it. It was a powerful aura and it was dark. He had no idea where this was coming from but he knew it could not be good. He looked at his miko and tried to get some answers from her, "Miko, do you know what is coming? Do you have any idea what it could be?"

Kagome was thinking hard, she wanted to answer Sesshoumaru but the answer was eluding her. "I haven't been able to figure it out yet Sesshoumaru. I wish I could answer your questions but I can't."

Kagome fell to her knees, her fist hitting the ground in anguish. "Damn it what good am I? I am so worthless right now. I should be able to determine what this is. But instead I am at a loss to figure this out." Tears came down Kagome's cheeks as she was in despair.

Sesshoumaru hearing Kagome's words floated up to her face, he wiped away her tears and said in a gentle voice, that even surprised him, "Miko, you are not worthless, whoever told you that was worthless himself. You are powerful and you are who you are. You are Kagome, Shikon miko, and alpha to her pack, but even more important, a friend to this Sesshoumaru.

"This Sesshoumaru would not be friends with a weakling miko, so what does that tell you?"

Kagome was shocked to hear his words, _'I'm his friend? He thinks of me as powerful? But why?'_

Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated. _"Trees of the lands I am in need of your help. There is something that is coming towards us at a fast pace. I can't determine what it is can you detect it?"_

The trees of the lands searched all the land until they found what she was talking about. They sent word back to the lady miko, _"Lady Miko, we have found what you seek. It is a black orb that is traveling at a tremendous speed from the north east."_

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she heard what the trees were telling her. "Sesshoumaru, I think I know what's coming. Just give me a minute to confirm it."

Sesshoumaru did not have time to say anything when the miko closed her eyes and was in deep concentration.

Kagome reached out with her senses and looked for Kikyou. She has forgotten about her and the seal she placed on her body to make sure she never attacked her pack again. She warned her not to touch what was hers and she did not want to listen. To her surprise, she could not detect Kikyou anywhere, so that only means that what is coming towards her was her soul. But it was different, she must have put a curse on it before she died.

Kagome opened her eyes and explained to Sesshoumaru what was going on. She has never seen Sesshoumaru this mad in all the time she has known him. His eyes turned a pure white in color instead of the red that she was used to. His crescents on his cheeks grew jagged instead of being smooth like they usually were. You could see his youki growing more in power as time passed.

Kagome did not know what to do, "Sesshoumaru please calm yourself. I need you to have a level head because when it gets here I will need your help to get rid of the curse that Kikyou cast on the rest of my soul."

Sesshoumaru did not like the idea that someone was after his female. Even if it was her own soul, the dead miko would suffer a great death at his hands if she was not already dead. But he will make sure that his miko is protected no matter what.

Sesshoumaru calmed his beast but the white in his eyes did not go away. Sesshoumaru and his beast were one for now but were calmed enough that he could communicate with his bitch.

Maru was not about to back down when he knew his female was in danger. He turned to his mate and growled out, "Miko, what is it that you need of me?"

Kagome was thinking fast as her soul was rapidly coming towards her. She did not have long before it arrived. "Sesshoumaru, I will need your help to destroy the curse that is in my soul. I am willing to bet that my powers will not work on it but your youki should be able to overcome the curse and destroy it.

"But enough talk here it comes!"

Kagome felt when her soul came into range. It was making a beeline straight to her while she put up a barrier to contain it. It came to within a foot of her body when she finally stopped it. She was struggling to contain it, "Now Sesshoumaru!"

Sesshoumaru wasted no time and released his youki, wrapping it around the black orb.

Maru was having a hard time trying to break the curse. He was not about to give up when he snarled and tapped deep into his power. He was protecting his mate and that was something that he will do not matter what, even, if it meant his death.

Sesshoumaru's body started to glow a pure white and brought forth his inner most powers. It over powered the curse that wanted to kill his mate when he broke it.

Kagome noticed when the curse was broken by Sesshoumaru. She then sent a wave of purifying magic into the orb. The orb turned white as it settled right in front of the miko. Kagome reached out with her hands and took hold of the orb. She analyzed it to make sure that it was free of the curse and when it was she brought her hands closer to her chest as she allowed it to enter her body.

Kagome felt great pain flood her body when she doubled over. Sesshoumaru rushed to his miko's side, trying to determine if she was all right. She was breathing hard, trying to get her pain under control, when she heard the gentle growl that was Maru.

Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on what he was doing. He was helping her with the merger of her soul and the pain she was in. Slowly that pain started to go away and slowed her breathing down.

When the pain was just a dull roar she said in a low voice, so only he could hear, "Sesshoumaru, Maru, thank you for helping me."

Sesshoumaru heard her words while Maru growled softly at her. He stopped when he knew she was no longer in pain, but they needed to get her back inside the cave so she could rest.

Sesshoumaru then called for Shippou to come to him and once the kit was at his side he instructed, "Kit take the miko back inside the cave. Lay her down next to Rin. Once she is comfortable come back out here to me."

Shippou obeyed his order with no problems while he picked up his mother and took her back into the cave. Her pack watched in awe when he carried her back. They made no move to see to her well-being as it should be.

Sesshoumaru waited patiently for the kit to come back outside to him. When he came back he led the kit away from prying ears. This was a conversation that was only meant for them and no one else.

When Sesshoumaru got to a secluded spot he stopped and turned towards the kit. He was not too pleased, and proceeded to say his peace, "Kit what were you and the miko talking about that cause her tears?"

Shippou was not surprised when Sesshoumaru asked him this question. He lowered his head and explained, "I was speaking to my mother about you. You see I know my mother more than most. Sometimes she does not understand how Youkai nature work and I was explaining to her that we could still be together. She could still be my mother if she mated you.

"I just about gave up hope that she will open her heart again to love another. Inuyasha broke her so bad this last time. I saw her loving heart close when she distanced herself from all of us. The sparkle was gone from her eyes. I thought then that I've lost my mother. But then I saw the sparkle in her eyes when she looked at you my lord, I knew that she was not gone from me yet.

"But she is under the impression that you don't want her as a mate. She said that you have rejected her twice already and that she could take a hint. Did you? Did you really reject her as a mate?" Shippou looked at Sesshoumaru with pain in his eyes. He was trying to determine if it was true.

Sesshoumaru was blown away by what the kit was telling him. He didn't think that anyone would notice that he has an interest in the little miko. But the kit has seen right through his hidden agenda. He was blown away to hear that the little miko loved him in return. He knew she had feelings for him but he didn't know that she loved him. He turned his attention back to the kit, "What happens between me and the miko is not your concern. You are to remember your place in this pack kit. I will not tolerate you upsetting the miko anymore is that clear."

Sesshoumaru knew that he could not tell the kit the truth. This curse was preventing him from courting the miko properly. He needed time and he was bound and determined to get it. He just has to keep the kit from pushing the little miko away from him.

Shippou heard what Sesshoumaru said. He did not answer his question meaning that it was true. He was having a hard time obeying his orders when he knew that he had hurt his mother. He was no better than Inuyasha, "I know my place in your pack my lord, but heed my warning, hurt my mother again and there will be nothing to stop me from coming after you. She is the only thing I have left in this world and I want her to have some happiness. She deserves that after what Inuyasha has done to her. Just don't make the same mistakes he did."

Shippou said his peace when he got up from the ground and left. He will stand back for now but he will keep his senses open. If he hurt his mother again there is nothing that will stop him from killing him, and that was a promise.

Sesshoumaru was irritated with the way the kit talked to him but he did understand. He was just looking after his mother and wanted nothing but the best for her. This left a lot of questions for him in his mind on what he should do. But the one thing that he cannot do was tell the miko that he wanted her as a mate. He could not protect or provide for her. He was worthless in this form and he knew it.

Sesshoumaru looked up to the sky and noticed that the moon was half full. The night was clear and beautiful. He has no doubt that if his miko was awake she would be sitting outside staring off into the sky. It was something that she enjoyed doing with him watching her. He shook his head and went back to the cave. He needed to check on his miko.

When Sesshoumaru finally arrived back at the cave he spotted the kit off to one side sitting by himself. He was keeping watch at the entrance to make sure that everyone stays safe. He turned his attention to the opposite side of the cave and found the miko's pack sleeping along with Jaken. There was a barrier at the entrance of the cave to prevent anyone from entering. He put it up himself when he left Rin here for her protection.

He made his way to the back of the cave where his miko was currently located. He saw her lying down on the soft furs and moved over to her side. He was deep in thought, _'Why is it, my little miko, that you feel that I will never love you. You are more than worthy to be my mate. You are everything I ever wanted in a mate and so much more. Please just wait a little longer for me. Wait until this curse is broken so I can tell you what is in my heart. Kami I wish we were in our dream world again. That way I could tell you everything in my heart and make you understand how I feel.'_

Sesshoumaru then moved while he got comfortable near his miko. He curled in his usual spot on her neck and nuzzled her. He growled gently when he felt his miko relax. He closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

 _ **\- Dream -**_

Sesshoumaru woke up in the middle of a field of flowers. He recognized this place as the area where he would meet with his miko. He could not believe his luck, he wished to come back here and now he had his chance.

He lifted his nose into the air, then sniffed. He growled, he was not picking up on his miko's scent and he was wondering why she was not here. He started to walk in a random direction to see if he could find her. She was always here with him and started his search. He did not care how long it took him he was going to find her.

Kagome woke up in an open field. She was surrounded by flowers of all different colors. It was the most beautiful place she has ever seen. She got up from the ground and looked around. She spotted a lake not too far away and made her way there.

When she got there her breath hitched. The lake was huge; the water was so clear that you can see the bottom of the lake. She could see the fish swimming below the water while she stood there and soaked in its beauty.

Her mind quickly went to the things that Shippou said to her that day. _'Could it be true that Sesshoumaru does love me and that the curse is preventing him from telling me what he really feels. Does he think that I care about the curse he has on him? I love him, it doesn't matter to me what size he is. I will always stand by his side no matter what, so why does he feel that he has to prove something to me?'_

Kagome sat down and was deep in thought. She could not find the answer to her questions or the reason why Sesshoumaru was acting the way he was. She was so deep in thought that she literally jumped when she felt strong arms wrapping around her body and she was pulled into a nice warm chest. She tried to fight but the person that grabbed her started to growl that relaxed her. She only knew of one person that could do that to her… Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru has been searching the area for the little miko. So far, he was not having any luck in finding her. Then the wind shifted as a familiar scent reached his nose. He stopped his forward motion and tried to find the direction where that scent was coming from. When he had her location, he took off at a fast pace to find his miko. He was nearing a lake when he finally found her. She was sitting down on the ground looking out over the lake. She looked to be thinking because she did not even sense him coming up behind her.

Sesshoumaru could not resist. He bent down behind her and wrapped his arms around her body. The moment that he touched her she tried to fight him off. He growled deep in his chest and held her close to his body, after a few minutes she calmed down while he sat down and brought her into his lap.

He held on to her, never wanting to let her go. It felt so good just to hold her that his instincts were working overtime to keep her close to him. Once he got his little mate to calm down, he nuzzled her on her neck, and looked for his mark. To his delight his mark was still there while he licked it.

Sesshoumaru felt his miko shiver when he licked his mark. "Miko I have been searching for you."

Kagome did not know what to do. Sesshoumaru was holding her and he was not about to let her go. Then she heard what he said and moved her head slightly so she could look up at him. "Why are you looking for me? Is there something wrong?"

Sesshoumaru growled, this was his chance to talk to her without anyone around to interrupt him. "Miko this Sesshoumaru wishes to speak to you, I want you to listen to what I have to say. Your kit was talking to you today was he not?" When Kagome nodded, he continued. "Miko…" He noticed when she closed her eyes and turn away from him, a sign that she was hurt because he would not use her name.

Sesshoumaru sighed but then got an idea, "Koi, please you must hear me out. This is something that I must tell you."

Kagome was shocked to the core when he called her Koi. This was Sesshoumaru she was thinking about he would never call anyone Koi, but he just did, to her. She looked up into his eyes, waiting to see what he wanted.

Sesshoumaru noticed the stunned look in her eyes as he gently smiled at her. "Koi, you know that you wear my mark upon your neck. A mark that I gave you, when you agreed to let me court you, but today when you were fighting against Naraku my mark was present in the waking world."

At his remark Kagome's eyebrows furrowed together, "What do you mean that the mark was present in the waking world?" She was very confused about what he was saying.

Sesshoumaru thought for a moment before he answered her question, "What I mean is that this mark on your neck, I have only seen it when we are here, together, in this dream world. When Naraku told you that he wanted you as his mate, you countered by saying that you already had one, at that moment this mark appeared on your neck for everyone to see. Naraku noticed it, as well as I.

"Koi what the kit told you is true. I do love you but because of this curse I can't come out and tell you in the waking world. Only here am I able to hold you in my arms the way I want to. Only here am I ever able to show you how I truly feel. Have faith in me, when I am back to normal I will let you know of my intentions as well as everyone else. But I can't protect you as my instincts want because of the size the curse has me in. I cannot protect you against others wanting to come after you. I'm not powerful enough to do that yet."

Kagome was blown away by his statement. Her eyes began to water when she reached up with her hand and gently stroked his cheek. "Sesshoumaru…" she gasped when she tried to form her thoughts. "You baka! Don't you know that you have been protecting me all this time? By telling me were my enemies were when in battle, by helping me get rid of the curse on my soul. Not to mention by healing me when Inuyasha tried to kill me to get me to submit to him. You have been powerful enough to protect me in your own way.

"I love you too Sesshoumaru and if you would show your feelings to me then I wouldn't be so confused. Now that I know what the problem is I can wait. I will wait until the end of time for you." Kagome then wrapped her arms around his chest as she pulled him closer to her, in a warm hug that went to the very depth of their souls.

Their powers grew as it mixed together forming one aura. It soothed and comforted them both as they sat there by the lake and just held each other. They did not have to speak to know what the other was thinking.

Outside of their own little world Kagome's and Sesshoumaru's bodies were engulfed by a pale pink and red aura. It mixed together as one, while it was soothing the sleeping couple. It went completely unnoticed by everyone else but on Kagome's shoulder the mark that she wore in their dream world got darker in color. A beautiful blue crescent moon was there for all to see who her mate was. It was her protection to all who wanted to take her away from the one she truly loved.

The group slept quietly that night, recovering from their battles. The morning light will come too soon for the little group when they decide what they are going to do next.

-oOo-

Shippou woke up from his slumber early the next morning. He got up and stretched his tired body. He looked at the fire and went to put more wood on it. He made sure that it was going good when he left the cave to go and hunt one more time. Everyone needed to eat so he went hunting for the group.

He came back with a small bore. It was already gutted and cleaned, ready for the fire. Once he set the meat to cook he went and sat down for a while. The rest of his pack was still sleeping and it will still be a while before any of them woke up.

Shippou sat against the wall of the cave and thought about what Sesshoumaru said to him. He knew that he had feelings for his mother, but why would he deny them? He knew that it has something to do with the curse that was placed on him. But didn't he know, that if he didn't tell his mother what his desires are that she will not wait for him? He knew his mother all too well and she believed Sesshoumaru has no desire for her.

Shippou sighed, this was way beyond his comprehension. He didn't understand why the Youkai Lord was so adamant about keeping his feelings to himself. He knew his mother was a kind and caring individual, she would understand his problem but he was being stubborn. His mother on the other hand was equally as stubborn because she will not tell Sesshoumaru what her feelings are towards him. If you asked him they were meant for each other.

Shippou opened his eyes to see that the boar was almost done cooking and that the sun was rising over the horizon. He got up from his spot and went to check on his mother. He walked to the back of the cave and saw his mother laying there next to Rin. His mother was sound asleep when he smiled at her. He turned his attention to Rin and noticed that she was waking up.

Not wanting the little girl to wake his mother Shippou moved over to where she was laying, and waited patiently for her to awaken.

Rin was coming out of her sleep when she slowly opened her eyes. She looked around the area, then she noticed that someone was sitting next to her, and recognized him. She was about to yell when a finger was put on her lips to keep her quiet.

Shippou noticed what Rin was going to do, he put his finger on her lips and told her to keep quiet. He then motioned for her to follow him. Rin agreed to his request and quietly got up and followed. Shippou led her to the front of the cave. Once they were there he turned to her and asked, "Rin are you hungry?"

Rin's eyes lit up when her stomach growled loudly with hunger. Shippou laughed at his little friend when she turned red from embarrassment, "Come on, let's get you something to eat." Rin followed Shippou, he walked over to the cook fire where there was a large boar cooking.

Shippou walked over to the boar and cut some meat off for her. They sat down away from his mother's pack, while Rin was eating her food Shippou filled her in on what was going on. Rin was happy that she will be having Shippou stay with her from now on. At least she will have a friend that she could talk to but something was bothering her, "Shippou what about Lady Kagome? Will she be staying with us as well?"

Shippou looked at Rin, his eyes were sad and held pain in them, "I don't know if mama will stay with us Rin. It's up to her if she does. I was hoping that we will travel with her but it will be her choice if we do."

Rin looked to be deep in thought while she was eating. It appeared to her that something has happened between Shippou and his mother. Maybe when Kagome woke up she would be able to talk her into staying with her. She would like to have her mother stay with her for a while. She would like to ask her some questions that her Lord or Jaken could not answer.

By the time Rin was finished with her food everyone else that was there was awake and having breakfast. Rin knew better than to go outside and play. Her Lord was now back and she must wait to see what they were going to do.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Feelings were revealed and love was spoken but all of this was done in the dream world until the courting mark appeared in the waking world. Now Kagome wonders if this dream world is actually real but on a different plain of reality. But one thing was revealed, that Sesshoumaru has opened his heart to Kagome even though it is in this dream world. We shall see where all of this goes.

In the next chapter Inuyasha comes back alone and he is wanting answers from his pack. Kagome being the stubborn person that she is, will not bend to his will. Is Kagome becoming a youkai? Hehehe you will have to wait to see what she is.

Until the next time!

Ja ne.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Kagome was slowly coming out of her dreams. It was the first time that Sesshoumaru spoke of his feelings for her and she was overcome with joy. He said that he loved her and they had spent the night together in that dream world and she was happy for the first time in her life. But what he told her, could it be true? Did she have his mark on her neck?

Kagome's breathing picked up when she opened her eyes. She noticed that she was in a cave when she slowly sat up. She felt something on her neck, her hand went up and she felt a small body there. She moved the Youkai Lord gently, and when she did she heard him growl his disappointment at being moved.

When Kagome looked down, she noticed that Sesshoumaru was sitting in the palm of her hand looking up at her.

Sesshoumaru woke the minute the miko's breathing patterns changed. He stayed where he was, being very comfortable and warm, but when she grabbed him he growled at being pulled away from his warmth. He sat up in the palm of her hand and looked up at her.

His eyes opened wide when he noticed that her markings have not gone away. Her hair still had the red streaks in it. She had the blue tear drop in the middle of her forehead along with a star in the middle of it. Her eyes though were back to normal as he gazed into her beautiful blue eyes.

Sesshoumaru breathed deeply taking in her scent, it relaxed him, asking, "Miko would you like to bathe?"

Kagome's eyes lit up when she heard something about a bath. She smiled one of her more brilliant smiles, "Yes I would love a bath. Is there a hot spring around here?"

Sesshoumaru almost gave her a full-blown smile, he stood forming his cloud underneath his feet, and floated up into the air. He watched as the miko got up, picked up her bag, bow, and quiver of arrows and followed him.

Sesshoumaru led Kagome further back into the cave as they came upon another cavern. Kagome could feel the air warming up as she walked. She felt the moister in the air as well, telling her that there was a hot spring somewhere near. When she stepped into the next cavern her eyes opened wide. There was a huge hot spring. The cavern was warm as it soothed her aching body. She moved closer to the water and put her hand in it. She discovered that the water was perfect and put her bag down.

Sesshoumaru turned to the little miko, saying, "Miko I will leave you to your bath."

Kagome looked up and said, "Wait Sesshoumaru, you also need to bathe. You have not done so in a few days and that kimono needs to be washed. You have blood all over them from the battle that we had yesterday."

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide when he heard the little miko's words. He turned around and looked at her. She was busy digging in her bag pulling out her bathing supplies for them to use. _'Could she actually be inviting me to bathe with her?'_ He stood there and continued to watch what she was going to do.

Kagome took out her bathing supplies and some clean garments for them to wear. She laid a cloth on the ground and placed Sesshoumaru's kimono on the cloth to make sure it would not get dirty. She laid her garments next to his for easy reach. She found her mirror and set it off to the side, then she proceeded to remove her haori.

Once her haori and juban were off she took the mirror and looked at her shoulder. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that she had a mark there. It was a beautiful crescent moon the same color as Sesshoumaru's crescent moon. She could see that the mark held power behind it as what Sesshoumaru told her last night in the realm of dreams came true in the waking world.

She looked at her face and noticed for the first time her markings. Her hand went up and touched the teardrop. It was so smooth to the touch. She noticed the red streaks in her hair, then she put the mirror down and asked, "Sesshoumaru do you know why I have these markings?"

Sesshoumaru was watching his miko. She has taken off her haori and juban, she was just sitting there with her glorious mounds in full view. His member went hard immediately when he looked at his intended. Oh, what he would not give to wrap his lips around those glorious nipples of her. Then he heard her question and answered, "I do not know miko. The first time I saw your markings was when you fought that changeling in that village. When you finally calmed down they went away.

"Your markings came back when Naraku went after the pups. I thought that once you calmed down that it would go away but it didn't. I cannot even speculate if they will ever go away. But once we find all of the pieces of the jewel then we can concentrate on what happened to make you change." But then Sesshoumaru looked at her shoulder and noticed that his courting mark was still there. He was very happy to see this. It meant that no one will be touching what was his. His mark will protect her from all harm.

Kagome noticed that Sesshoumaru was staring at her. She became self-conscious that she was not acceptable to him. She covered her chest with her arms and turned her back to him while saying, "We should bathe and then head out. We need to get the last of the jewel shards that are out there before Naraku comes and gets them."

Sesshoumaru agreed and walked over to where his kimono was laying and proceeded to take off his garments. When he was done undressing he wrapped his tail around his waist for the miko's sake. He would be proud to show her his body but he knew that she was very modest. He walked towards the hot springs and entered. It became very deep for him very fast, he let his tail go from around his waist and swam out into the water. His tail was moving from side to side as it moved his body through the water.

Kagome was deep in thought when she heard the water ripple. She looked over her shoulder and saw Sesshoumaru getting into the water. She quickly stood and finished undressing. Yes, she was blushing hard but she figured she could get over it since they have both seen each other naked. Her arousal peeked and her cheeks tinted a deep shade of red when she remembered what she did to her Youkai love.

Kagome shook her head to get those thoughts out of her mind. She gathered up their clothes and washed them while she kept her eyes on Sesshoumaru. She could see that he was enjoying himself while he swam around the spring. When she was done washing the clothes she laid them out on a rock to allow them to dry.

She then grabbed her bathing supplies and set them down on a rock next to the spring. Looking around the area she noticed where Sesshoumaru was located. He was far enough away from her that she could enter the water without worrying that she might get in his way. Slowly she was making her way into the warm water, once she was deep enough she went under the water to get her body wet.

Kagome surfaced and wiped away the drops of warm water from her eyes. She swam to where she had her supplies and sat upon a rock that was submerged just under the water. She brought one knee up and called for Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru heard the miko calling for him and swam towards her. When he was near he asked, "What is it miko? Is something wrong?"

Kagome grabbed the Youkai Lord and sat him down on her knee. "I want to wash your hair Sesshoumaru. So, sit here and let me bathe you so we can get done."

Sesshoumaru was shocked out of his mind when she grabbed him out of the water. She placed him facing away from her, on her knee, when he heard her words. He felt when her fingers moved through his long tresses and started to wash his hair.

Sesshoumaru's body shivered with pleasure when he felt her fingers moving over his hair. His little miko took great care to wash his hair and when it came to his scalp she was very gentle. Soft fingers massaged his scalp while he moved his head closer to her touch.

Sesshoumaru could feel his body relaxing into her administration. A low deep growl was coming from his chest and his beast was very happy with all the attention she was giving him. Then his eyes snapped open when he felt her fingers on his tail. A howl left his throat at the pleasure that she was giving him. She washed the fur on his tail, her finger nails raking their way through the fur, causing Sesshoumaru to lean forward and shiver.

Sesshoumaru could not believe the little miko. His body was shaking out of pure pleasure that he could not stop. Never in all the years of him being alive has he felt such pleasures. His little miko was causing his body to react to her touch.

Kagome smirked when she heard Sesshoumaru's howl. She could tell that he was enjoying having his hair washed. She had to remember to do this again in the very near future. She was just getting done with his tail when she moved his hair off to the side. She grabbed a wash cloth and put some soap on it, and then proceeded to wash his back.

Kagome used just a piece of her wash cloth while she continued her attention on Sesshoumaru. She was bound and determined to make him understand that she did not care that he was small. She still loved him, no matter what.

Kagome moved the piece of cloth over his back and cleaned every inch of him. When she was done with his back she moved to his front. Slowly she turned Sesshoumaru to face her. His perfect body was there for her eyes to see. She took each of his arms in her fingers and gently washed him. Then came his chiseled chest, it was more muscular than she remembered from her dreams. She seemed to go into her own little world while she continued with what she was doing.

Sesshoumaru was shocked, he never expected the little miko to be so bold. Yes, they have been very intimate but that was in the realm of dreams. His body totally relaxed while she bathed him. It felt so good to have her hands on his body. He was shaking with want and desire.

Oh… what he would not give to be in his normal form right now. He would make her squirm under him for what she was doing to him. Then suddenly his little miko stopped what she was doing when he heard her say, "All right Sesshoumaru, I'm done. Why don't you go and rinse off the soap?"

Sesshoumaru almost snarled when he stood and jumped back into the water. He was mad, he wanted her to continue with what she was doing. He was almost to his end and he needed release. He swam back to the shore while he turned and looked at the little miko. It was now her turn to bathe while he watched what she was doing.

Kagome noticed how angry Sesshoumaru got when she stopped what she was doing. She knew that he wanted her to continue but they had to get a move on if they wanted to collect the next set of jewel shards.

When Sesshoumaru jumped back into the water she slowly moved and got her shampoo. She put some into the palm of her hand and started to wash her own hair. She made sure to wash it good. She wanted to make sure that she got out all the blood and guts out of her hair.

Once she was done with her hair she then moved on to her body. Kagome stood up from the water, she took her wash cloth and then began with her own body. Slowly she washed her arms while she lathered her skin with the soap that she was using.

Then she slowly moved over her breast, she lifted each one and made sure to get under the folds. She leaned her head back when her hands passed over a sensitive spot. Then her hands moved lower, she got her stomach and her lower back. She wished that she could wash all her back but that was not possible, her arms could only reach so far.

Kagome's hands started to go lower, when she reached her womanhood and made sure that she cleaned herself. She could not afford to get an infection in this era. She was still learning the different kinds of herbs in this era and she has not found the right ones that will counter a vaginal infection. She leaned forward and started to clean her legs. Her ass was sticking up in the air while she bent her body over to make sure she got her legs clean.

Sesshoumaru was having a hard time as he watched his little miko. His manhood was getting hard all over again while he watched her bathe. The way she was moving her hands over her body had him wishing it was his hands on her body. He fell to his knees in a few inches of water, while he leaned forward. He groaned with pleasure and continued to look at his miko, while she continued to bathe.

Sesshoumaru's beast started to provide mental images of what they could do to their female as Sesshoumaru's hand started to move faster. When his female bent over he had a clear view of her womanhood and Sesshoumaru lost it. His eyes turned red when he felt his release coming. It only took a couple of minutes when he howled his release.

Sesshoumaru's aura flared around his body, it expanded out over the area, when he started to come down slowly from his high. The flare in his aura caused Kagome's mark to glow. The moment it did Kagome was overwhelmed when her body reached its own peek, screaming his name for everyone to hear.

There was a slash of water when she fell to her knees. Kagome was breathing hard when her orgasm hit her hard. She didn't know what happened but she has only dreamed of something like this in her dreams, never when she was awake. Her body shook while she tried to gain control.

Sesshoumaru heard the splash of water, he looked up in time to see that his miko was on her knees breathing hard. He could smell the scent of her arousal and noticed that her mark was still glowing. He observed that as he was slowly coming down from his high, the glow of her mark was also going away. His eyes opened wide when he thought, _'My miko reached her peek while I did. Her mark is acting like a mating mark but this is not possible.'_

Possible or not he knew that he just gave his female some pleasure and he was very pleased. He could see the blush on her cheeks from what she was feeling. He quickly washed off his manhood and his hands, then he stood up and formed his cloud under his feet.

Sesshoumaru lifted off the ground and went towards his miko. He hovered just in front of her, "Miko? Are you all right?"

Kagome was trying to get her body under control, she has never experienced an orgasm that powerful before. Her cheeks were flushed while her mind went back to the dream she had with Sesshoumaru, and the way he brought her body to life that one night. She sensed Sesshoumaru near her when she heard his words. "Yes, I'm fine Sesshoumaru. I will be done in a minute and then we can go find the others."

Sesshoumaru smirked while he observed his female. She was flushed with the force of her orgasm while he puffed out his chest with pride. Only he could do that to her and he would make sure to do it again in the very near future. He turned his cloud around and headed for his garments.

Kagome quickly got to her feet and headed for deeper waters. When she was deep enough she went under the water to rinse off the soap on her body. When she finished, she surfaced and then went towards her clothes. She dressed quickly when she looked for Sesshoumaru. Her eyes opened wide when she saw him dressed in something other than white.

He was dressed in the blue hakama and haori that had the silver crescents of the moon along the edge of the fabric. He was wearing a silver sash with his swords attached to it. The darkness of the clothes brought out his pale skin and golden eyes even more. He looked perfect in that kimono, "Sesshoumaru that kimono looks good on you. You should wear other colors than white all the time. It becomes you."

Sesshoumaru's chest puffed out at the miko's words. He felt proud when he saw the expression on her face. At first, he smelled the shock that came from her and then it was the scent of her arousal when she gazed at his personage.

He got the desired expression from her, she will never look at another male as long as he was around. She belonged to him and no one was going to take her away from him. "I will take your words into consideration miko. I find myself desiring your kimonos. They are very different and of the greatest quality. I will wear more of these types of Kimono's if you show my seamstress how to make the kimonos the way that you do."

Kagome was shocked to hear this but agreed just the same. She watched when the Youkai Lord came closer to her and landed on her shoulder. His tail wrapped itself around her necked while he sat down on her shoulder. He was close to her neck, bending down she picked up her bag and started to make her way out of the cave.

When she reached the area where everyone else was located she stopped dead in her tracks. She saw her former pack members still in the cave and contemplated what to do about them. She knew that she dissolved her pack but she could not understand why they were still here.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the little miko stopped and looked at her pack. He could smell her apprehension while he whispered into her ear, "Miko, I told them to stay here for the night. I know that they are your friends and it will hurt you greatly if they are not with you. Talk to them miko and see what they have to say to you. I'm sure that after a night to mull things over they understand the error of their ways. If you can forgive the hanyou for all his transgressions, then you can forgive them for what they failed to do."

Kagome lowered her head while she listened to what Sesshoumaru was saying. She dissolved her pack because of what they did, but he was right in one aspect of things. She forgave Inuyasha for a lot worse, than she was willing to forgive her own friends, for just one mistake. She nodded her head in understanding, then she made her way to where the others were located.

-oOo-

Sango and Miroku were waiting patiently for Kagome to wake up. They knew it was going to be hard to convince her not to break apart her pack. They did not want to leave her side and they were willing to do anything to make sure that they stayed together. They were even ready to beg if that is what it took to change Kagome's mind on what she did last night.

They were sitting by the fire while they watched over Shippou and Rin. The little girl was sitting there eating her food as they have just finished theirs. They heard a noise, when they looked up and noticed that Kagome was coming towards them.

Sango looked at Miroku while he looked at her, you could see the nervousness in their eyes, then they both swallowed hard and stood up from their position. They waited patiently when they noticed Kagome walking in their direction. When she was close to them they both bowed deeply to their pack leader.

Kagome noticed what her friends did and sighed. She turned her head just slightly and whispered to Sesshoumaru, "Will you excuse me while I speak to my pack?"

Sesshoumaru nodded his understanding to what the miko wanted. She needed to make amends with her pack, he formed his cloud under his feet and lifted off her shoulder. He hovered off to her side and observed what she was going to do.

Kagome moved once Sesshoumaru moved off her shoulder. She stopped in front of her friends and quietly says, "Follow me." She then turns and walks out of the cave with Sango and Miroku right behind her.

Sango was shocked when she heard what Kagome said to them. She scrabbled to get her weapon and followed Kagome out into the morning sun. It was going to be a beautiful day as the sun was just rising over the horizon. They came to a stop some distance from the cave while they both waited to see what Kagome was going to say.

Kagome walked away from the cave to have some privacy. She had no idea what she was going to say but she had to make this right. She knew that she could not continue her quest without her friends. They started this quest together and they will finish it as a group.

Kagome stopped in the middle of the forest, still facing away from her friends. She looked up to the sky, while she got her thoughts together, "Do you know why I disbanded our pack?" Her voice was low and full of hurt while she waited for her friends to answer.

Sango and Miroku heard what Kagome was asking, they both lowered their heads as Miroku answered her question, "Kagome-sama, you disbanded the pack because we failed to protect the pups. You have every right to disband this pack because of what we did. We are at fault for failing you when you gave us the job of protecting them. We have no excuse for our actions but if you will give us another chance we will not fail you again."

Kagome sighed when she heard what Miroku was saying. Her heart was heavy with the pain she was feeling, "There is something that you both must know. The children of these lands belong to me. Any child that is homeless, orphaned, or lost, will find me as their protector until they find their own home. If you wish to be part of my pack, then you must swear to protect every child on these lands. They are the future of what this land will become and without them we will not have a future.

"I have seen what these lands will turn into, and I can tell you that it's not pretty. Children still suffer in the future because no one is willing to take a stand and protect them. This I will not allow. If we start now to protect the young ones of these lands, they in turn will teach others to do the same. This will start a cycle that will change what is happening on the lands.

"To be in my pack means to protect those who cannot protect themselves and the children of the lands, are you willing to accept this to be in my pack?" Kagome then turned around to look at her friends. She wanted to see the expression on their faces as they gave their answers.

Sango and Miroku heard what Kagome was asking of them. They were both deep in thought when they came to a decision. There was determination in their eyes and a fierceness to protect in their aura, as they both answered, "Yes!"

Kagome was satisfied with their answer, it was what she was looking for in her friends, and her pack, "Very well, we will continue to travel together to complete the Shikon No Tama. But take heed if you ever neglect your responsibility, or go against my orders again there will be no more pack. I can't take the chance of someone getting hurt because you do not want to follow my orders. I especially want the pups of this pack to stay safe. Naraku went after Rin once and he will do it again if given the chance."

"We understand; we will not fail you again. We promise to look after and protect the pups of this pack with our lives." Miroku and Sango stated together. When they saw, that Kagome gave her approval they all turned and went back to the cave. Everything was back to normal, the pack was whole once again, as they followed Kagome back to the cave. There Kagome ate her breakfast while they packed up getting ready to leave.

Once Kagome was done with her meal she moved to just outside the cave entrance, knowing that Sesshoumaru would follow, to have a small conversation with him. "Sesshoumaru, I suggest that we start heading back to the southeast. We need to get the two jewel shards from Koga before Naraku recovers from my attack, if this is agreeable to you."

"Yes, miko I agree. It is about time that we got those jewel shards from that wolf. By the time we get there, you should be fully recovered." Stated Sesshoumaru in a deep baritone voice that just made Kagome melt inside. She could get used to that voice for the rest of her life.

Kagome then turned to her pack, "Come on, we are heading southeast to the wolf packs so we can get the jewel shards from Koga." She then turned her attention to the other members of Sesshoumaru's pack, "Shippou, Rin, Jaken, and Ah-Un, you will now accompany my pack. We will travel together until your Lord is returned to normal."

Jaken being the loyal servant that he is, was not accepting that order, "Wench! Who are you to tell us what we are going to do? Lord Sesshoumaru would never travel with the likes of you. A pathetic ningen wench that…" Jaken never finished that rant when a pink whip hit him across the chest, throwing the kappa half way across the cave.

Jaken grunted and then slowly sat up. He looked at the female and almost wished that he didn't. There standing in front of him was a very angry miko and her body was alight with her power. He has never seen such powers coming from a lone female.

She was growling at him when he heard her say in a deadly voice, "I suggest that you show me the respect that is required of my station kappa, because I will not care if you are from Sesshoumaru's pack. Disrespect me like that again and it will be your death, is that clear?"

Jaken was about to retaliate when he heard a vicious growl coming from her shoulder. When he looked up he saw his Lord sitting there and the expression on his face and his eyes told the kappa that he was about to die.

Sesshoumaru could not believe that his own servant would talk to his miko in this manner. He was about to discipline Jaken when the miko took care of it. He was surprised to see a pink whip come out of her finger when it made contact with the kappa's chest, then tossed him half way across the cave.

He smirked, every time he looked at his female, she has something new to show him. Her powers were great, even now she was glowing a vibrant white. The light came out of her skin as it gently caressed it, forming a second skin over her body, making her look like a celestial being.

He noticed when Jaken was about to make the biggest mistake of his life and growled viciously, "Jaken, you will do as she says from now on. She is the alpha to her pack and as alpha you will show her the respect that she has earned. Go against her orders and you will feel my wrath, is that understood Jaken?"

Jaken was shaking in fear. His Lord has never threatened him like this before, but of course he has never offended an alpha before. He bowed to his Lord, "Yes my lord, I understand."

Sesshoumaru then turned his attention to his female who was still highly upset at the kappa. His tail gently rubbed her neck while he gently growled for her. She calmed down after a few minutes, "Please accept my apologies miko. He should not have talked to you in such a manner."

Kagome calmed down after Sesshoumaru started to touch her neck. She had no idea why she would calm when he did that. She heard his apology for his pack member's rudeness towards her person, "Very well Sesshoumaru but the next time the kappa talks to me in such a manner he will find himself purified and there will be nothing you can do about it."

Sesshoumaru understood, he nuzzled her neck and gently growled again agreeing with her statement. Kagome then turned and started to walk out of the cave. She did not have to look behind her to know that everyone else was following her.

Rin, the daughter of her heart was overjoyed in traveling again, she would run up ahead of everyone and pick some flowers. When she had a nice bunch of flowers she ran over to Kagome and said, "Kagome-sama, Rin has picked these flowers for you."

Kagome took the flowers from the little girl and smelled them, they were heavenly to her senses while she watched the little girl run ahead once more.

Rin had a big smile on her face, she was happy to be traveling with her Lord once more, but she was even happier at being with her mother. She now had a group of people with her so if she had any questions there was always someone around that would answer them for her, while she continued walking with her new pack.

Kagome looked up at the sky, you could see the peace that her eyes reflected. For the first time in a long time she felt happy. This is the way she always envisioned her life to be. Surrounded by the people that she cared about with children running around her, playing in the morning light. She had Sesshoumaru riding on her shoulder and his nearness to her kept her calmed and relaxed.

Little did Kagome know that her life was about to change one more time.

-oOo-

Naraku was fit to be tied, he just barely escaped that miko wrath and now he will be spending days trying to regain his strength and his body. But when he did he had a plan for that little miko. He will make her pay for defeating him.

It was disgraceful, he had to depend on Kagura to bring him back to his hidden castle so he could recover. He never knew that the little miko had such powers. But most importantly where did she learn to use the elements of the earth? He was unaware that this female could use these powers, she never exhibited such abilities before. Could it have been a trick by the kit? He did notice that the kit was no longer a child but almost a full-grown Youkai.

He called Kanna to him and looked into her mirror. The mirror twisted and swirled until it came into focus. He watched as the little miko and Sesshoumaru's pack left the clearing they were in and started to travel once again. For now, he could do nothing until he recovered his strength. But soon he will return and when he did it will be the miko's turn to die.

-oOo-

Up in the northern part of the lands a hanyou clad in a red kimono was slowly waking up from his forced slumber. He slowly sat up, shaking his head to clear it from its foggy state. He was having a hard time trying to figure out where he was located.

The last thing he remembered was going to see Kikyou, he wanted to know if she had any new information on Naraku. After a few minutes of being with her, and finding out that she did not have any new information for him, he turned, he was about to leave the area to head back to his pack.

He remembered feeling dizzy when he was walking away and then he could not remember anything else, until just now. His eyesight started to come back as they came into focus. He growled when he looked around the area. He had no idea where he was, confusion was clearly marring his features, while he sniffed the area to see if he could determine his location.

Waking up in the middle of a forest, not knowing where you are located, did not appeal to him until he picked up a familiar scent. He could smell Kikyou close by but he didn't see her. This was strange, he was wondering where she could be, he followed his nose and discovered that the scent led to a pile of ash. He saw Kikyou's clothes laying there on the ground and put the pieces of the puzzle together on what had happened to her. He growled viciously, angry at who could have killed her.

Inuyasha spotted a sutra close to Kikyou's remains and picked it up. The writing looked familiar to him and it carried a scent he recognized. Kagome's scent was all over that sutra and now he was confused, _'Why would Kagome attack Kikyou? She has never done this before, she knows how much Kikyou means to me and she would never do anything to harm her. So why did she kill Kikyou? And where is the wench?'_

Inuyasha got to his feet and looked around the area. He did not see anyone from his pack close by and he was not picking up on their scent, now he was wondering where everyone was at. With an angry growl, he thought about what he wanted to do.

First order of business, he needed to get some food. He was feeling weak and his stomach was growling at him. It must have been a long time since he last ate.

He got to his feet and set out to get something to eat. It did not take him long to find food, he built a fire and started to cook his meal. He still could not bring himself to eat raw meat like his brother. It was just simply disgusting to him. He preferred his meat cooked something that most Youkai despised.

Once he ate his meal it was now time to set out and find the rest of his friends. He felt better after he ate and then he took off. He had a lot of questions for Kagome and he wanted answers.

Inuyasha searched the immediate area but his pack was nowhere near him. He then sent his youki throughout the lands trying to find his friends, when he found them. He just barely felt their auras. They were at least two days away from him and they were traveling southeast from the west. If he went southwest, he will run into them. He took off in their direction running at full speed.

Soon he will get to his friends and maybe he will be able to get some answers from the wench.

-oOo-

It has now been three days since they left the cave where Sesshoumaru left Rin to be protected and they were heading towards the eastern lands. They were all getting along and Rin could not

be happier. Traveling in a larger group afforded the little girl more protection.

Sesshoumaru would still go off with Shippou for his training but they were never that far away from them. He will always be close just in case something attacked them. He was being very possessive of Kagome and she found that to be endearing.

At night Kagome, would train with Konokarei like she promised, with Sesshoumaru going along with her. He did not want her wondering around at night by herself and could always be seen on her shoulder. Her training was intense with the old spirit but she was growing rapidly in power. She almost landed a hit on Konokarei and she was very happy about that. Her control over the elements was also getting better.

Kagome was doing things with the elements that Konokarei never thought possible. She would combine the elements together into a more powerful attack. She would sometimes add her Reiryoku to one of the elements and it would become an attack that would kill scores of Youkais that was hit with it, or she could engulf an entire area in her power.

Konokarei had to admit that he was impressed. He never thought that the little miko would learn so quickly. She was quick in her thinking on what she wanted to do and then making it happen. There was not much more that he could teach her, but he would hold true to his words and she will be done with her training once she lands a hit on his person.

They were both in the middle of a clearing as they were attacking each other. Kagome in her attempt to get away from Konokarei attacks, launched a surprise attack against the old man.

Konokarei was caught off guard when Kagome sent three different attacks towards him. The amazing thing about it was that she sent the attack from three different directions. He deflected the fire from the front and the water coming in at his side. But he failed to see or feel the lightening coming from behind as it hit his side. It did no damage to him, just a small tickling feeling on his right shoulder.

Konokarei turned towards the little miko with a big smile on his face, he was pleased, very pleased with his little one's ingenuity and said, "Well done my little one. No one has been able to hit me in the back before. I didn't even feel it comings toward me when you attacked. Very cleaver my dear to hide your attack from me, it was something that I was not expecting."

Kagome smiled when she walked towards the leaf spirit. She did not think that it was going to work but it did. She stopped and said, "Thank you for the compliment. I was surprised that I caught you off guard like that. I thought for sure that you would be able to sense that."

Konokarei chucked at her words, "No my dear I could not detect it, what did you do to mask your attack?"

Kagome smiled brightly at the leaf spirit, "I mixed my Reiryoku with the lightening, and placed a barrier around it that would hide it from your senses. I never thought that it would work on you."

Sesshoumaru who was sitting off to the side was amazed. He did not detect that attack as well. He was surprised that his miko could do that. It will come in handy when they fight against Naraku. He continued to watch with amusement in his eyes when he heard what Konokarei said next, "Ah my little miko, the time has come for us to part company, there is nothing more that I can teach you."

Kagome was saddened by what she heard, she has gotten used to being around the old spirit. She looked up with a sad expression on her face, you could see the pain in her eyes.

"Will I ever see you again?" Kagome asked when a sob almost left her lips.

Konokarei stepped forward, he leaned down and touched the miko's chin, "Ah my little one you will see me again. I will be keeping my eyes on you, plus I'm just a breeze away from hearing your desires." He stepped away from her as the wind whipped around his body. Dirt and leaves were going around in circles until his body was engulfed. When the wind finally died down he was gone from the area.

Kagome felt saddened that she will not be seeing him anymore. She has enjoyed his training, he pushed her to her limits every time they spar. Kagome felt a weight on her shoulders when she heard a gentle growl. It relaxed her, then she turned and made her way back towards their camp.

Sesshoumaru observed everything from afar. He could smell the sadness in the little miko's scent. She must have taken a liking to the old spirit of the lands. He huffed, a vicious growl leaving his lips, the old spirit was no threat to his claim but at the same time she shouldn't be feeling these things for him. She had him to occupy her time with. He formed his cloud under his feet and floated over to the little miko.

He landed gently on her shoulder and sat down, while his tail went around her neck. He growled low in his throat when he felt her relax and lean into his touch. She then turned and started to head back to camp. They enjoyed their walk back to camp, they stopped for a little while and sat under a large tree, the miko was just enjoying her time looking at the night sky. It was beautiful out tonight and she wondered how everything was going to turn out tomorrow when they crossed into wolf territory.

"Miko what is bothering you?" Sesshoumaru could sense that something was bothering his miko.

Kagome sighed when she heard Sesshoumaru's question, she was trying to get her thoughts together so she could answer him, "Tomorrow we cross into Koga's territory. I have no idea what to expect from him when he realizes that I am now alpha of my own pack."

Sesshoumaru understood her concerns, "Miko the wolf will act like any other male. The moment he discovers that you are alpha of your pack he will challenge you. From what I have overheard your pack saying, he has a habit of calling you his woman. To let him continue to say things about you will put a claim on your person."

At this Kagome's anger got the best of her, when she gave a vicious growl, "I am not his woman! That bastard doesn't know how to take no for an answer. But I will no longer let him make a claim on me. When we meet, I will take his jewel shards and then return to Edo. These are the last of the jewel shards that are not held by me or Naraku. I must figure out what to do about Kohaku. The jewel is the only thing keeping him alive at this moment and I don't want to hurt Sango when I take it from him."

Sesshoumaru was surprised at how angry his miko got when he told her about the claim that the wolf always makes on her. She was livid, he has never seen her anger so great until she brought it back under control. He heard what she said about the boy and stated, "I'm sure that we will be able to come up with a satisfactory solution for the boy. Once he is under our control I can use the Tenseiga to revive him if that is what you wish."

Kagome was blown away by Sesshoumaru's offer. She never thought that he would ever offer his services like this. She was so happy that she reached over with her right hand and grabbed Sesshoumaru. Pulling him from her shoulder, she brought him closer to her chest while gently growling at the Youkai Lord.

Sesshoumaru was not shocked when he was grabbed. He was getting used to it but what stunned him was the fact that she licked and nipped him under his chin in gratitude. Never has the miko shown him such respect and affection. He growled low in his chest while his tail went around her wrist and held on to her.

Kagome brought Sesshoumaru closer to her neck while she held him. She was happy this way as they stayed there for a long while. They were just enjoying themselves when Kagome's head snapped up. She was picking up on a familiar aura and this was not good. She quickly stood and takes off towards her camp.

Sesshoumaru had no idea what was going on, the only thing he felt was the miko's anger and her holding on to him while she ran through the forest to reach their camp.

Kagome finally made it back to camp, as soon as Sango and Miroku looked at her they knew something was wrong. They quickly stood and got their weapons, moving over to protect Rin and Shippou from the threat they were feeling coming their way.

Sesshoumaru by this time has found his way to her shoulder, he was stretching out his senses. He could not detect what his little miko was detecting because his little miko's senses went beyond his, then he heard his miko whisper, "Inuyasha." Then she turned towards the area where he would be appearing.

To say that Sesshoumaru was angry was an understatement. He growled viciously when he finally felt his brother's aura coming towards them. He was fit to be tied when he heard, "Sesshoumaru calm yourself. I want to handle this. I know why he is here and he has many questions, plus he wants his pack back now that his mind is his own. I request that you let me handle him when he finally gets here."

Sesshoumaru did not like it one bit but he agreed to her request. He settled down on her shoulder, while he waited for the half breed to show himself. The miko's hair gave him a place to hide just in case he was needed. It was always good to have a second plan of attack if things get out of hand. It was not long before the half breed arrived at their location.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has been traveling hard for the last couple of days. He was basically going non-stop the whole way because he wanted to find all his friends. He would stop only to eat and rest for short periods before it started all over again. He could feel that he was getting closer to his pack and picked up speed.

It was about time that he finally reached them. He had to change directions a couple of times because they were moving faster than he thought they would. He could feel Kagome aura up ahead when he finally made it to their camp.

When he broke through the forest brush and into the clearing he was greeted with everyone ready to attack him if he made a wrong move. He had no idea what was going on or why they would be on the defensive against him but he was about to find out.

Inuyasha just stood there when he noticed that his pack along with Sesshoumaru's pack were in the same clearing. He had no idea why his brother was so close to his pack when he growled. "What the fuck is going on? Why is my bastard brother's pack here with you? Where is he anyway?"

No one was answering his questions and he was getting irritated. Inuyasha turned his attention to the futuristic miko when he yelled, "Oi! Wench! I want to know what's going on."

Kagome stood there starring at the hanyou. She knew that her pack will protect Rin no matter what. She was just waiting for the idiot to run out of steam before she answered any questions. Now that he turned his attention towards her, she answered him with venom in her voice, "What the hell do you want here Inuyasha? I told you that I didn't want to see your sorry ass ever again. You have made your choice and we have made ours. Now leave! I will not ask again."

Inuyasha took a step back when he heard what Kagome was saying to him. It was not often that she cursed but when she did, he knew that she was pissed. And a pissed off miko equaled a whole lot of 'sits' for him.

But he could not believe that she was talking to him like this. He had no idea what has gotten into her when he started to growl. There was no way he was going to let her talk to him in this manner. He was the alpha of this pack and she has to show him respect, "Bitch! Who do you think you are talking to? I am alpha of this pack, and as alpha you all do as I say. And right now, I want my fucking questions answered."

Kagome's anger was slowly growing. You could see a deep flush hitting her skin when her anger grew. Her voice turned deadly while she responded back to the Inu hanyou, "You are no longer alpha of this pack, half breed. This pack belongs to me and I'm alpha. You made your choice when you mated that bitch Kikyou."

Inuyasha could not believe what he was hearing, he then turned his attention to the other two ningens of his pack, "Sango, Miroku, you can't seriously leave me for this weak wench. She doesn't have what it takes to take care of a pack. She is clumsy, worthless, and is only good for detecting shards. Why are you both with her?"

It was Miroku who stepped forward and said with a deadly voice, "That is where you are wrong Inuyasha. Kagome is the perfect alpha for this pack. She is powerful and not worthless, she provides for all of us, as a proper alpha should. Not once, since we have been traveling with her, have we lost a shard of the Shikon jewel because we were not prepared for the battle. That is more than I can say when we hunted shards with you.

"Not once have you ever cared about this pack. You never provided a meal for this group. The only person to ever provide us with food was Kagome from her era, and then you only wanted the ramen that Kagome's brings back from her home. Now every evening we have meat and other things to eat.

"Kagome protects this pack where you would go off at night to be with Kikyou, leaving us and Kagome unprotected and at the mercy of the Youkai, while you are otherwise busy. So, you see she is the better alpha and Sango, Kirara, Shippou, and I willingly joined with Kagome when she decided to leave you. After all we joined this group because of Kagome not you."

Inuyasha was speechless after he heard what the monk had to say. He could not believe that they would leave him to go with a worthless bitch such as Kagome. He was the one that was always protecting them as they traveled. "I have no idea what spell you are all under. But it was ME who pushed all of you to find the shards, it was ME who was strong enough to fight the Youkai for the shards, and its ME who always protects her ass when the Youkai would go after her. So, what makes you think that she is the better alpha?"

Sango stepped forward to answered that question, "She is better because before we go in and attack, we analyze the Youkai we are up against and work out a strategy before we attack. It takes us less time and effort to get a shard away from the Youkai with Kagome as alpha than it did with you as alpha.

"With you as alpha, the only thing we looked forward to, was getting hurt and taking hours to fight a low-level Youkai for the shards. We spent more time waiting on you and your stubborn pride to stop acting like the idiot, you know you are, to allow us to go in and get the shards to end the battle. I have concluded that you enjoyed the battles and wanted them to continue, not taking into consideration that we might get hurt.

"That's why we left you. At least with Kagome when we fight it is a guarantee victory and all we have to do is defeat the one holding the shards as quickly as possible."

Inuyasha growled when he heard what Sango was saying. His anger was getting the better of him, he turned heated eyes toward Kagome. She was the cause of all of this. Then he had another thought, _'She killed my beloved Kikyou. It was her sutra that I found stuck on Kikyou's chest when I woke up a few days ago',_ "Tell me Kagome, why did you kill Kikyou? What is your reason for ending her life? Don't try to deny it, I found your sutra on what was left of her kimono on the ground."

Kagome snorted, "That bitch was told to leave my pack alone. I told her I would end her pathetic existence if she went after them. I warned her twice. I threw a sealing sutra to prevent you from removing it, like I promised you I would, for not controlling your bitch. It also prevented her soul collectors from feeding her the souls of dead girls to keep her alive.

"I will kill anyone who tries to hurt my pack, and that includes you Inuyasha. Now leave I'm getting tired of this conversation and it's getting late. My pack has to rest before we continue on our journey."

Inuyasha was growling with each word that Kagome spoke. He had enough and attacked, he will make her submit to him as alpha and that will settle this issue. He came in with claws drawn when he went to slash the little miko.

Kagome saw what he was about to do, she shook her head in disgust and said, "Pathetic," and put a barrier around her body. Inuyasha hit it full force, he was burned with her holy powers and repelled back toward the forest. He hit a tree hard and slid down the trunk to the ground. Slowly getting back up, breathing hard, he looked towards the bitch that fought off his attack. _'She has become more powerful than I remember. It's not going to be easy to make her submit to me, I'll have to catch her off guard.'_

He looked around the area and noticed that Sango and Miroku were protecting the ningen brat that traveled with his brother. He was looking all over the place for his brother but could not find him. He was sure that he would never abandon his pack. "Where is Sesshoumaru? Why is his pack with you?"

Kagome was getting tired of all the questions that Inuyasha was asking, "Why do you care? You never cared about your half-brother before so why are you worried about him now?"

Inuyasha sniffed and faced his bitch, "I know for a fact that Sesshoumaru would never abandon his pack. So, if his pack is here then he is the reason that you are acting this way. Once I take care of him you will be back to normal. You wouldn't have left me behind and gone off on your own, no matter what I did. You didn't in the past, why should it matter now."

"You're right Inuyasha your brother did not abandon his pack. He has an alliance with me and I am helping him protect his pack. Not that it's any of your business. His pack will be safe with me until we find what we are looking for. You have no say on who can join my pack since you are not alpha, now leave!" Kagome was watching the hanyou with deadly eyes. If he even made a move towards Rin she will make him pay for even trying.

Kagome gave a warning signal to the others when they all got ready. They were not about to fail their alpha in protecting Rin. They will make sure that the little girl stayed safe. If Inuyasha got his hands-on Rin then he will be able to control Kagome and that was something that they were not willing to let happen.

When the attack came, it was so fast that no one noticed what happened. Miroku noticed a flicker of movement from Inuyasha and dropped an ofuda down to the ground putting up a barrier. This barrier went around his little group to protect Rin from any harm.

Inuyasha saw his chance then sent his Iron Reaver Soul Stealer towards Sesshoumaru's pack. His eyes opened wide when Kagome got in front of the ningen girl, kappa, and dragon that protected her. What he saw next shocked the living daylights out of him.

Kagome moved quickly and intercepted Inuyasha's attack. There was no way she was about to let him hurt Rin and everyone with her. She called on the winds, she put her hand up in front of her and stopped Inuyasha's attack, sending it right back to him.

Inuyasha was hard pressed to move out of the way of his own attack and when he landed on the ground he was slammed up against another tree. But this time he could feel something holding him up against the tree when he opened his eyes. He was surprised to find that there was no one holding him up but when he tried to move the pressure on his chest was incredible.

He turned his attention to Kagome and noticed that something was not right with her. Her aura was green now and her hair was moving wildly around her body. For the first time since he has arrived in this clearing he took a good look at her.

The wench has changed, physically, her hair was longer and it was streaked in red. He noticed the markings on her forehead but her hair was getting in the way of him seeing what it was. He could feel the force of the winds going around her body, but the problem with that was that there was no wind blowing through the area to make her hair move like this.

Kagome was so angry that she almost killed Inuyasha for going after Rin. Almost, being the operative word here. She has him pinned against a tree for the moment, with the force of her winds. She heard a snarl coming from Sesshoumaru when she whispered, "Sesshoumaru, please calm yourself. Rin is safe and I will not let anything harm her. Let me handle the half breed."

Sesshoumaru could not honestly let the little miko fight his battles. He was angry that his worthless half-brother would go after an innocent child. His eyes bled red when he snarled viciously at his idiot brother. But then he heard the miko's words and calmed down. He knew that she could protect his ward, "Very well miko but if he attacks again then I will be fighting him."

Kagome gave a small nod and walked towards Inuyasha's pinned form. She stopped a short distance away from him and said in a deadly voice, "You will leave here Inuyasha or you will die by my hand. Is this clear enough for you half breed? Or do you need another demonstration of my powers?"

Inuyasha was trying to get out of this invisible hold but it was no use. He turned his eyes towards Kagome and her eyes were glowing white. He now knew that he has royally pissed her off, for her to get to this stage. Then he heard her question, he growled and started to move even more to get free. His head hit the truck of the tree when his eyes opened wide at the ball of Reiryoku that was hovering just an inch from his face. He could feel the holy powers that the small ball generated as it was burning his face.

The ball was coming closer to his face the longer he took to answer her questions. He turned his face away from the ball of Reiryoku when he heard, "Submit Inuyasha, you have no other choice in the matter. I will kill you if you don't, so don't push me!"

Inuyasha had no choice but bare his neck in submission to her. It was either that or die.

Kagome smirked and pulled the ball of Reiryoku away from his face and had it return to her. She waved her hand and the wind that was holding the hanyou against the tree vanished while he fell to the ground grasping for air. She looked on with distain, saying with a deadly voice, "Now leave, I don't want to see your pitiful ass around here anymore. You are not welcomed here."

Inuyasha slowly got up to his feet. He knew now that he would not be able to get near this bitch. She was a lot more powerful now and she can easily defeat him. He was not proud of this fact when he turned and left the area. He will stay close to his former pack. He is not about to give up but he had to find the right time to attack, and he would do it when she least expected it.

He pulled his Tetsusaiga from it sheath and looked at it. It was still not transforming for him. He remembered bits and pieces on why it would not transform any longer for him. Kagome sealed his swords power and now it was useless, but that will not stop him from getting what he wanted. He will get back the Shikon Jewel and then wish his Kikyou back to life. All he had to do was wait. Sooner or later the bitch will drop her guard and when she did he will over power her and get her to submit to him.

-oOo-

Kagome watched when Inuyasha left the area. She understood that this was not the last time that they will see him. She knew the hanyou well enough that he was not defeated yet. But she did not care. She had her own mission to complete and that was to help Sesshoumaru return to his normal form.

Kagome kept her senses opened to see how far Inuyasha would move away from her camp. He had no knowledge how far her senses could extend, which is why he did not go too far from her camp. He was at least a couple miles away and this satisfied her for now. She was sure that he was going to follow her and will not be far behind when she confronted Koga for his jewel shards.

She sighed and rubbed her forehead with her left hand, trying to ward off the headache she could feel coming on. She looked up at the night sky and smiled. Tomorrow night will be the night of the new moon and Inuyasha will not be able to track them. This will let her pack get some distance from him as his powers start to diminish. The way she figured it, they will confront Koga in the morning as soon as she stepped foot in the eastern lands. She was positive that he would be able to pick up on her scent the moment she did.

She turned towards her pack and noticed that they have gotten everything together for the evening. She noticed that they had some meat cooking over the fire as an eyebrow went up in question. She turned to Sesshoumaru and waited for him to answer her.

Sesshoumaru smirked when the little miko ran off the half breed. He was pleased, very pleased that she stood up to the hanyou. He looked up and noticed that she was rubbing her forehead, something that he was accustomed to seeing, when she was stressed. He noticed her looking at the night sky, seeing a devilish smirk come to her lips, when she thought about something.

He was wondering what she was thinking about when she turned towards the pack. He was pleased to see that the kit has done his job well and went hunting for the evening meal to feed everyone. Sesshoumaru also noticed that the miko had her eyebrows raised in question and stated, "The kit went hunting for the pack. He will do this from time to time when he notices that both of us are busy.

"Now that our packs are traveling together this pack has an alpha male and an alpha female as their leaders. It is the way of the pack, when their alphas are too busy protecting the pack to go hunting, the members take it upon themselves to go hunting for the pack. This will allow the alphas to rest when they come back."

Kagome never knew any of this, "But we are still two packs, correct?"

"Yes miko, we are still two packs, but we have come together for a common goal. We will act as one unit while we are together and when our goals are met then we will become two separate packs again and can go our separate ways." Sesshoumaru was watching his miko when he spoke. He noticed the twinkle in her eyes when he told her that they were one big pack and acted as a cohesive unit. His female was happy about this little bit of information.

But when he continued speaking he noticed that her mood quickly changed. He saw the sadness in her eyes and in her aura when he spoke of separating once their goals have been achieved. He moved closer to his little miko and quietly says, "Once our goals are met, miko, it does not mean that this Sesshoumaru would not like to travel with you. I would suggest that we first reach our goal and then we can discuss our future."

Kagome agreed with what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. She needed to keep her mind on their goal and then they can discuss the future. She was hoping that the future included the both of them while she walked towards their pack.

Once Kagome reached their camp she went and sat down against a tree to rest. Sesshoumaru got off her shoulder and was sitting next to her, he was thinking about what they might encounter tomorrow.

Sesshoumaru lifted his head when he sensed the kit approaching them. He stopped a short distance away from them, then he kneeled and bared his neck to his alpha. Sesshoumaru nodded his approval for him to approach.

When Shippou reached his alpha, he kneeled again and then presented the heart and liver to him. It was his right to receive this portion of the kill since he was the one that went hunting for the combined pack.

Sesshoumaru growled his approval as the kit got up and left them alone. Sesshoumaru looked at the offering and wondered if the miko would accept dinning with him. He did not think so but he would make the offer to his miko. He reached over and grabbed the liver, slicing a chunk off. He turned to the miko and said, "Miko, I give you this piece of the liver to strengthen and nourish you during our travel."

Kagome was shocked that Sesshoumaru would offer her the liver of a kill. It was the part that contained the most vitamins and should be eaten by the alpha. She knew she had to give him an answer and to refuse his offer would be an insult. "I thank you Lord Sesshoumaru for the offer and I accept with gratitude." She reached over and grabbed the piece of meat that he offered her as she put it into her mouth, chewed, then swallowed.

Sesshoumaru was shocked to say the least, he did not think that she would accept his offering. But when she took and ate it, his beast came forth in all his glory. He had to fight hard to control his other half since he wanted to get free to mate with the miko. It was the ultimate act of acceptance by a female to eat the liver and heart of a fresh kill with their mate. In this way, they share the strength and power of the kill.

Seeing this from his little miko assured him that she will remain healthy for as long as they lived. He will make sure to keep her healthy and protected for the rest of his immortal life.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome sat there sharing the liver and heart while the rest of the pack looked on.

Sango's eyes grew big when she saw what Kagome was doing. She could not understand why she was eating raw meat, but more specifically the liver and heart. To her it was disgusting but she will not voice that opinion out loud. She did not want to insult Sesshoumaru and she will not embarrass her alpha. She turned her attention back to the meat that was cooking. When it was done, she cut some off for Kagome and Sesshoumaru and then took the meal to her alpha.

She did everything that Shippou told her to do, to show proper respect to the alpha's, when she was given permission to approach she bowed again and gave them the cooked meat. She then bowed and left them alone to eat their meal.

Miroku sat there eating his meal while he observed the interactions between Kagome and Sesshoumaru. He was shocked to say the least when he observed Kagome eating raw meat, but then again, the Kagome they knew was no more.

Miroku noticed that since Kagome has somewhat transformed into her current looks she has changed. Her aura is more powerful now, she has markings on her face and forehead, and she holds great powers. He did not even know how powerful she truly was. She has never released all her potential but he knew in his heart that if she did, she would be unstoppable.

The pack finished their evening meal as they all settled down to rest for the night. They knew that in the morning they will be crossing into wolf territory and they needed to rest. Once the barrier was up around the area they all fell into a peaceful sleep.

-oOo-

This is the end of another chapter. Things are a lot different between Kagome and Sesshoumaru now that their feelings are known. Though they have not spoken in the waking world what was discussed in the dream world what they did discuss came true. The mark on Kagome's neck is proof that he is courting her.

In the next chapter Kagome steps into wolf territory. But something seems amiss when she is challenged but the other wolf tribes. A battle insures as she then makes her way towards Koga.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

The next morning the pack got ready to leave. The females have gone to bathe, while the males broke down the camp. When they returned, they were ready to leave.

Kagome could tell that they were not that far from the eastern boarders when she turned to Sango and Miroku, "Hey guys I want you two to be on alert. We are not far from the eastern boarders and the moment we cross their boarders the wolves will know that we are in their territory. I want you to protect the pups and leave everything else to me. If I sense anything out of the norm I will inform you what is going on and then we will go with a new plan of attack."

Sango and Miroku nodded their understanding of her orders while they all picked up their things and started out. The only one that was not happy to be moving was the Jaken. He basically kept to himself and kept his mouth shut. On one too many occasions he has found himself in the miko's grip while she threatened to purify him if he did not shut up.

The group has only been traveling for about two hours when Kagome felt them passing a barrier. The moment that they did she could tell that the wolf clans knew they were there.

Kagome was on full alert once they crossed the wolf's boarders and maintained her senses out over the area. She did not want any surprises to the pack. She could sense the jewel shards in the distance while she led her group towards their goal.

They walked pretty much unhindered making a beeline straight towards Koga. They found a suitable clearing where they made camp for the night, then Sesshoumaru and Shippou went hunting for the group.

Kagome stayed behind to watch over camp while everyone else got busy with the nightly preparations. She was standing in the middle of the forest while she was looking towards the east. She could sense the jewel shards and they have not moved. She found this strange because whenever Koga felt her presence he would always come running towards her. But for now, she was happy that he was keeping his distance. This will allow her to come up with a plan of attack for the wolf.

Kagome closed her eyes and let her mind wonder through the area. She felt a lot of wolves in the area but they were keeping their distance from her camp. She thought that this was due to her aura being so powerful and warning off any of the wolves that thought to get closer to her pack. Every time they would get close she would flare her aura, they would notice her power and then run back into the forest to try again later.

Kagome then opened her mind to the lands and asks, _"Trees of the lands, can you tell me about anything that is close by that might endanger my pack?"_

The trees started to move their branches as they spoke to the little miko, _"Lady Miko, there has been civil unrest with the wolf tribes in the area. Things have been tense between the clans for a while. We do not know what the problem is but they have been fighting among themselves. We shall keep you informed of anything that is happening and heading your way."_

Kagome listened to what the trees had to say and she was surprised by this little bit of information. _'Now why would the wolf clans be fighting among themselves? I thought that they all came under Koga's rule?'_ This did not sound right to Kagome and she was deep in thought when Sesshoumaru finally found her.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru just returned from the evening hunt with Shippou, when he looked around for his miko. He noticed right away that she was not in the area. Not liking his miko gone from his protection, he lifted his nose up into the air and sniffed the area. He found her scent and followed it deep into the forest. He found his miko deep in thought while she was standing on a hill top overlooking the lands below.

He was wondering what she was thinking about since she did not sense his presence. He floated over to where she was standing and asked, "Miko, what has your mind so preoccupied?"

Kagome turned when she saw Sesshoumaru floating there in front of her. She turned her head slightly and looked out over the lands below. "The wolf tribes seem to be fighting among themselves. I thought that all of them come under Koga's rule but it seems I may be mistaken. The wolves are close but they are keeping their distance from us for now. I also don't sense that the jewel shards are moving, so that means that Koga is still east of here."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at what the little miko told him, "I cannot think of any reason why the wolves would be fighting among themselves. I have not heard of any civil unrest among the tribes. I suggest that we continue our journey and collect the jewel shards from the wolf. But we will keep our senses opened just in case the wolves decide to attack. We cannot afford to let the pups get hurt."

Kagome agreed with Sesshoumaru. It did not matter to them why there was civil unrest in the wolf's territory, the only thing that matter to her was getting the jewel shards that Koga had before Naraku got them.

Kagome turned and walked back to camp with Sesshoumaru, still deep in thought about what was going on around the area.

-oOo-

Off in the distance a group of wolves were keeping an eye on the female that was in their territory. She was powerful, when they tried to approach her pack her aura pushed them all back from her location. It was her warning to them to stay away, that's why they have not gotten closer to her. They were not powerful enough to make this female submit to them and they were not going to try.

They have yet to spot the powerful alpha male that should be with her, the only ones with her were two ningens adults, one ningen child, a young Kitsune, a two-headed dragon, a kappa, and a fire neko. Then it occurred to them that she was the alpha of her small pack. It looked like she was searching for something, what it was they didn't know, for no one spoke of what they were looking for, so they watched from their perch to see what she was doing. They didn't know what to do at this point. The only thing they could do was go tell their leader.

But the small scouting party knew one thing. The one to make her submit will have a powerful female at their side. They have never felt this much power coming from one female before and once news gets out that she is going through their territory all the tribes will try to make her submit.

The scouting party discussed what they were going to do and then sent two of their own to go to their tribe alpha to inform him about the powerful female on their lands. The rest of them stayed in the area, observing what the female was doing. At least for tonight she was not going to be leaving but come morning they knew she would be on the move again.

But what the scouting party failed to see was that there were others in the area that were also watching the alpha female. They have all felt her presence when she entered their lands and word was rapidly spreading to their local tribe alpha's that she was there and alone. While the wolves around the area were deciding what they were going to do with this new female in their mist, there was a lone figure that was following the female as well.

-oOo-

Inuyasha has been following his friends all day. He was still confused about what has happened between him and his pack. When he woke up a week ago he had no idea where he was or how he even got there. He had spotted Kikyou's kimono on the ground with what look like ash within the garments and a sutra plastered on what would have been her chest.

All he knew, at that point in time, was that his Kikyou was gone from this world and the only thing that gave him a clue to what happened, was the sutra that had Kagome's scent all over it.

He was surprised that his pack was so far away from him. But what he thought was going to be a happy reunion with his pack turned out to be something he did not expect, total rejection of his alpha status. His pack decided that the bitch would make a better alpha than he, therefore the reason why they left him to join her.

This was totally unacceptable to him. He was alpha and that bitch will learn her place with him. But he had to wait until she was weak to subdue her. All he had to do was wait and watch. His sword was useless to him. It would not transform. He had no way of finding Naraku on his own so he was forced to follow his pack. He knew that sooner or later they will encounter Naraku.

But what upset the hanyou was that he could tell that his brother was around but he could not see him. Sesshoumaru's pack was traveling with his pack so he knew he had to be close. His brother was not one to abandon his pack for any length of time. He will just have to keep his eyes open for anything out of the ordinary.

Inuyasha settled on a tree branch not too far away from his pack. He was in his ningen form this night while he looked up into the darkened night sky. He knew that the wolves were in the area and they were on the move. He also knew that trouble was coming because that wench always attracted trouble everywhere she went. He was wondering why she was here in this part of the lands? The only one in this area was Koga. This got his hackles up, _'Could she be going towards Koga? And if she is, why?'_

Inuyasha pondered this for a while but all he got for his efforts was a headache. Thinking was not one of his strongest suits, so he sat back and closed his eyes. He knew that they would be leaving in the morning, plus he would be back to normal by then, and he was planning on following the wench. Letting his mind clear of everything that has been going on he drifted into a light sleep, keeping his senses open for what it was worth.

-oOo-

The next morning Kagome and her group got ready to leave. Something felt off to Kagome. She could feel that the number of wolves in the area has increased during the night. This was not good, grabbing her bow and quiver, she walked into the forest to commune with the lands.

She stopped by a cliff and opened her senses to determine where the shards were located. To her surprise they were still in the same place and she now knew something was up. Koga will never let her walk into his territory without making an appearance. _'Could something be wrong with Koga and that's why they were fighting amongst themselves. I know that Koga does not have an heir so it would be natural for the wolves to fight for the right to lead.'_

Suddenly Kagome had a lot of questions and there was only one person who could answer them, sighing in frustration, she asked, "Sesshoumaru, if the leader of a clan is sick or injured and they were close to death, with no heirs, will this cause the tribes to fight amongst themselves?"

Sesshoumaru has been sitting on the miko's shoulder since the moment that she woke up from her slumber. He could feel that she was nervous about something and he was trying to keep her calm. He felt her sigh and then heard her question. This was an interesting thought and replied, "Yes, if the alpha of a pack became injured and is close to death, with no heirs, then the rest of the packs around the area will be fighting among themselves to see who will be the next alpha.

"It is difficult to say what exactly is going on, but your theory is solid. I suggest that we set out and head towards the wolf with the shards. The sooner we arrive at his location the sooner we will find out what is going on in this area."

Kagome listened to what the Youkai Lord was saying. He agreed with her theory and this was not good. She knew that she was surrounded by the wolves and the deeper she went into wolf territory the worse it was going to get for her. She then turned and made her way back to her pack. They needed to head out as soon as possible and she needed a plan to protect her pups if it came down to a fight.

Kagome thought that she had the perfect plan when she finally reached the clearing where everyone was located. It seemed to her that everyone was ready to move out this morning, as everything was cleaned and packed up.

She came to a stop in front of the group, "We should be reaching Koga by this afternoon. But it's not going to be an easy trip. There are wolves all over this area and they have been watching us all night. We will continue on our journey but with a few modifications."

Kagome then turned her eyes towards Shippou. "Shippou, when I give you the signal I want you to grab Rin and get on Ah-Un. Have the dragon go up into the sky, to protect Rin. You are not to come down until myself or Lord Sesshoumaru give you the word that it's safe once again. I know for a fact that the wolves will come after you two and I want you out of harm's way."

Shippou nodded his head in understanding. He knew better than go against his mother on anything she had planned to protect him and Rin.

Then Kagome turned to her pack, "Miroku, Sango, and Kirara, I want you to be on alert, but do not attack. If these wolves want to make their presence known to us, then so be it. I don't want to attack first. But I do want you to keep your eyes open to make sure that the pups stay safe. I will handle the wolves, since they will be coming after me. Does everyone understand what I'm saying?"

Everyone in the group understood when Kagome turned and started to lead her pack to where Koga was located. The pack was on alert as they traveled, they could feel the wolves in the area and they were cautious while they traveled.

Kagome was on edge when she felt the amount of youki in the area. She must have attracted every wolf tribe in the region. She also felt that Sesshoumaru was not comfortable, she could feel his agitation towards the wolves.

Kagome tried her best to keep Sesshoumaru calm but it was a losing battle for her Youkai Lord. "Sesshoumaru, please calm down. I know that you are upset at the wolves but you must let me handle them. I will never prove to these fools that I'm not to be messed with if you try to step into this fight. Please have faith in me that I know what I'm doing and can take care of these fools. I will never fail you."

Kagome then let her aura surround Sesshoumaru as she tried to calm her Youkai lover down.

Sesshoumaru was fit to be tied. He did not like that the wolves were after his mate. He hated the idea of being this small and not being able to protect her. This brought all his feelings out as he tried to keep his beast under control. But he was losing his battle as his beast was pushing to come forth.

He felt his miko's aura wrap around his body as it soothed both him and his beast. His eyes turned back to their golden color, and gently growled at his female. He heard her words and thought about them. Yes, he did have faith in her but she was his to protect and it was upsetting to him that some other male wanted what was his.

Sesshoumaru growled stating, "I do have faith in you miko but I do not trust the wolves. They are known for dirty fighting and I worry that they will try something on you and that you will fall to their tactics. It is this Sesshoumaru's right to protect you but being in this form is preventing me from doing what my instincts dictate."

Kagome understood what Sesshoumaru was saying, but she still tried to calm him down. She continued to wrap her aura around his body while they continued walking. It was getting close to mid-day when they came upon a large open field. She felt that they could cross it before they stopped for lunch.

They were about half way across the field when Kagome stopped her forward motion. The wolves were making their move, when the trees around the area gave her a warning. Kagome turned to Shippou and gave him his signal.

Shippou understood what was going on as he grabbed Rin and got on the dragon. The dragon took off into the air as the rest of her pack got ready.

Sesshoumaru felt them coming and gave a vicious growl to the fools that wanted his mate. Kagome knowing what could happen let her thoughts be known, "Sesshoumaru you must keep control over Maru. I cannot afford for him to be let loose at this moment. If you can't subdue him then I will subdue him for you."

Sesshoumaru was not happy with what the miko was telling him. His inner beast was even harder to control until he felt her aura on his body. He did not want to be subdued so his beast calmed down but was very much aware of what was going on. He decided to move to the back of her neck while he hid from the wolves. If they tried to attack his miko from behind he would be able to give her a warning.

Sesshoumaru turned while he caressed her neck and nipped it. "I will watch your back for you my miko, but know this. If they come after you and you are losing this battle I will come out to defend you, but I will allow you to fight your own battles for now."

Kagome was happy with his words, she let a small growl escape her throat, knowing that Sesshoumaru would understand her gratitude. She turned and faced forward, waiting for the wolves to arrive.

The alphas of the wolf tribes all gathered in the clearing where the powerful female was waiting. They have all come here to see this female that their scouts have told them about. Imagine their surprise when they got there to find the rest of the tribes there looking at this female.

They all walked out of the forest heading for the female that was apparently the alpha for this group. They all looked up and noticed the two-headed dragon up high in the sky. They growled, not happy about not being able to grab the young pup from them. If they could get their hands on the pup then they would be able subdue the female, but this was not the case. She must have figured out what they were planning and took measures to protect the female pup.

They continued to walk until they all stopped in front of the female in question. They could all feel her powers and they were great. It will not be easy to make her submit but they were going to try.

Kagome noticed a group of about 10 wolf males making their way towards her. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed that their clans were surrounding her pack. She quickly signaled her pack and they got ready. Kagome knew that if they went after her pack she would have to throw a barrier around them to protect them while she took care of these fools.

Sesshoumaru stayed hidden in the collar of his mate's garments, under her hair. He was watching everything and he did not like what he was seeing. This was bad. There were over a hundred wolves in the area and they were severely out numbered. He waited patiently to see what his mate was going to do. He just hoped that she had a plan because up to this point she was not letting him know what she was going to do.

Kagome growled deep and menacing, when the wolves were getting too close to her pack. The alphas of the tribess raised their hands up in the air to stop their wolves from coming any closer. They did not want to provoke the female.

Kagome noticed that all the leaders were young. There was not an elder wolf among them. The one wolf in the middle stepped forward. Apparently, he has been chosen to speak for the group.

The senior wolf and leader of the largest pack stepped forward while he eyed the female hungrily. She was a beautiful onna. She would make a good addition to any of the wolf tribes, he eyed her from head to toe and licked his lips, "Bitch why do you come on our lands? Don't you know that it's dangerous for a female to travel in this area?"

Kagome's eyebrow went up when he called her a bitch. She has learned over the years that most canine will call their females bitches. It was not meant in the derogatory sense of the word but to tell her that she was theirs. Still she was not their bitch, she was Sesshoumaru's if she wanted to get technical about it. "I am on my way to see your leader, Koga, he has something that belongs to me and I want it back."

The wolves all looked at each other as the one that was speaking continued, "Well I don't think that you will have the chance to see him. You see he was injured a few weeks ago by Naraku and was poisoned with his miasma. He is dying as we speak and it will not be too much longer before he is dead and one of us will take his place. But in the meantime, you will come with us and we shall decide who is going to get your pack. We could use a female of your caliber in our tribe."

Kagome growled, "No I am not interested in joining any of your tribe. You will move and let me pass I have to get to Koga."

"We are not asking you bitch, you are to come with us and submit to your fate." The males were all cheering at their leaders thinking that they were going to get a powerful female in their tribe.

"I don't care what you want. I submit to no one and no one is going to touch my pack! You are not powerful enough to make me submit so move out of my way before I make you." Kagome's voice rose with each word she was saying, by the time she finished she was yelling at the fools.

The wolves did not take too kindly to her words as they started to advance on the female. Kagome signaled behind her back and Miroku saw her message. He pulled an ofuda out of his robes while he chanted his spell. Once he was done he threw it on the ground, then a powerful barrier went around him and his companions.

Sango saw the barrier and she wondered why Miroku put it up. She looked over at Miroku about to ask him her question when she heard, "This was done at Kagome-sama's request. She does not want us to get hurt with what she is planning to do. This barrier will protect us from any harm. If you noticed Ah-Un also has a barrier placed around him."

Sango looked up to see that the dragon indeed had a powerful barrier around him that would protect the dragon along with Shippou and Rin. She lowered her weapon, then watched what Kagome was going to do. She just hoped that she had a plan.

Once Kagome noticed that her pack members were all protected she could concentrate on the fools in this clearing. She raised her hands, she started to make hand signals and called forth the elements of the earth.

First, she called the power of the wind as it came in and circled around the area. It picked up every wolf around the area and pushed them all back into the forest. Then she made a series of hand signs as a powerful barrier was placed around the area to prevent the wolves from coming back to their location.

Then Kagome reached up and pulled her sword from her hair, making it grow into its original size. Once this was done she took a fighting stance in front of the remaining wolves, "Now, your wolves will not interfere in this fight. This is a battle between all of you against me. As alpha of my pack you will respect my position, I will bow down to no male."

The tribe's alphas noticed the power that this female possessed. She moved all of their wolves out of the area and was preventing them from coming in and attacking her pack. She pulled a strange sword from her hair and was now ready to battle. They have never encountered a female such as her before. She was powerful and it was going to take a lot to make her submit.

The alpha's looked at each other, they all agreed that they should attack the female, they turned their attention back to the female and got into a battle stance. They will fight together to get this female to submit to them, then they will talk about who was going to get such a prize. They all moved, forming a circle around the female. They circled around her to see if they could find an opening to attack, but to their surprise there was none.

Each of the alphas took a shot at her and she would counter every one of their attacks. She even countered the ones where two or three of them attacked at the same time. They could not touch her but they continued to attack her to see if they could wear her out.

Kagome had her senses opened all around her. She could tell where all her opponents were and countered their attack. She was getting tired of their games, and then she started on a plan of her own. She started to concentrate on her powers and went on the offensive. She formed fire coming out of her sword, then attacked three of the wolves. She burned them severely on their legs making it impossible for them to continue the battle.

She then brought her hands together and started making hand signs. This baffled the males around her since they had no idea what she was doing.

Kagome couldn't help but smile inside while she made her hand signs. She knew that she would keep them off balance by doing this, while she called forth another one of the elements. She called for water this time but she had a surprise for them.

Kagome swung her sword towards three more wolves who were gathered together when the water hit the ground. The moment it did it froze solid, trapping them where they stood. They tried to get free, but try as they might the ice would not break.

Now that only left four more wolves to take care of. Kagome stood with the point of her sword pointing down, while her senses were trained on the four remaining wolves. She sensed one coming from behind her.

Kagome turned while she swung her sword up and met the attack head on. Locking her blade with the wolf, she turned her wrist slightly, she then disarmed her opponent.

The wolf was stunned that she could disarm him so easily, he was so pissed that he attacked with his claws next. He ran towards her with his claws drawn, he was in a fit of rage and took a swipe at the female.

Kagome moved out of the way, then she used the hilt of her sword and hit the wolf in the back of the head, rendering him unconscious on the ground. She quickly turned and ducked under the next attack. She formed a ball of her Reiryoku and hit the wolf on his back, he went flying only to land face first on the ground unconscious.

Kagome turned around to face her last two opponents, twirling her sword around like an expert, coming back into a fighting stance.

The trees in the area noticed what the male was about to do as they gave a warning to the little miko, _"Lady Miko, the male to your left has something in his hand that he is going to use against you."_ Kagome understood what the trees were saying and got ready.

The male thought that he had the perfect thing to get the female when he pulled a pouch from his chest armor. He held it in his hand while he ran forward and threw it at the female. He smirked, thinking that he got the best of her but what happened next caught him completely by surprise.

Kagome saw what the male was doing and got ready, as soon as the pouch landed on the ground, smoke started coming out of it. She stuck her hand out and called forth the wind. She pushed the powder right back at the male and watched him go down from the sleeping powder he was planning to use on her.

Now Kagome only had to contend with the last male, and he must be the strongest of the lot.

The last of the alphas was indeed the strongest wolf. He was the one that they picked to succeed Koga once he died. He was much larger than the rest of the wolves in the area and he had more power than the rest. He stood back and watched as this female defeated each one of the other alphas. She was powerful plus she was smart. He liked that in a female while he formed a plan in his mind on how to get her to submit to him and be his mate.

He looked at the little female with lust filled eyes, "I'm going to enjoy making you submit to me and when you do, you will become my mate. I could use a powerful female like you at my side when I rule the lands once that pathetic Koga dies."

Kagome looked at the wolf that was left and heard his words. She growled and said in a deadly voice, "You could try to make me submit to you, but I can guarantee that you will not subdue me. I will not submit to any male; you are all pathetic as far as I'm concerned. When I find the male that I want to be with then I will submit only to him, but unfortunately for you, you are not him."

The wolf took out his sword and prepared to do battle. He knew he had to be careful around her and not allow her to get too close to him. He has seen the damage that she can do if she got too close. He smirked, then flashed stepped and was locking swords with her. _'This is not possible, how did she see me move, there is no way she could have seen me move to counter my attack.'_ Thought the wolf, while he was struggling against Kagome's sword.

Kagome knew that she had to be careful with this wolf. She concentrated on her powers and enhanced her vision. Before Sesshoumaru could warn her about where he was located she had seen him move in on her and brought her sword up to defend.

Sesshoumaru for his part was shocked at the way his miko was defeating these wolves. She was thinking at least three moves ahead on what she wanted to do. She didn't kill any of the pathetic wolves but she made it so they could not continue to fight in this battle.

He tried to warn her a couple of times about the attacks coming in from behind but she already knew and was moving to counter. He kept watch and kept his mouth shut to make sure he would not interfere with her concentration. She was proving to be a powerful alpha and these wolves must give her the respect that she deserves. But her last opponent was a powerful wolf, he was keeping his senses opened just in case this wolf pulled any underhanded fighting against his female.

Kagome used her powers to feed her muscles and pushed the wolf away from her. She got ready again and watched her opponent. He was proving to be a powerful fighter but she will not submit to him. She only wanted Sesshoumaru and that was the male she was going to have.

The wolf was shocked, when the little slip of a female pushed him away from her. She had power and the more he found out about her the more he desired her. He was licking his lips while he said, "I love a powerful female. You have guts and you're determined not to submit to me. But I will have you this day and you will be my mate by tonight. I can't wait to get you underneath me and have you crying out my name as I make your body sing to my wants and desires."

Kagome was disgusted by his words. She was not going to scream his name in the heat of passion. If she was going to scream a name in passion it will be Sesshoumaru's, "There is no way that I will mate you. Besides I'm already being courted by another male and he is the one that I want. Why settle for you when I can have a God for a mate."

The male was not happy about this, "Bitch! I am the most powerful male here. I don't see your male here trying to defend you. I will kill him if he tries to come after you once we are mated."

"I sincerely doubt that you can defeat him. He is a powerful Inu, besides I prefer Inu to ookami anyway, so there is no way that I will leave him for you. Go find yourself another female that will have you, because you're not getting me." Kagome was getting angry at this bastard and if he continues to push her buttons he is going to be dead here in a minute.

Sesshoumaru was stunned when he heard his mate's response to that wolf. _'She prefers Inu to ookami? And she said that I was a God, now I know that she is receptive to my suit.'_ He growled gently and finally settled down. His beast was now calm knowing that the wolf will not defeat his mate. She was his and there was nothing that was going to take her away from him. Sesshoumaru and his beast couldn't have been happier at this moment in time.

The wolf had enough and sent an attack her way. He kept on attacking while Kagome kept on avoiding his youki. She would leap out of the way, use her sword to deflect them, or anything else that she could think of.

They were the only two left standing in the field as the rest of the alphas were all out of commission. The wolves that were waiting in the forest behind a barrier could not believe that a lone female was powerful enough to subdue their own alphas. Now she was fighting the most powerful alpha on their lands beside Koga and she was winning.

Kagome was running out of options. She didn't have time for this as it was now time to subdue this male and make him submit to her. She saw him coming in for another attack with his sword when he jumped into the air. This was her chance, she brought her sword forward and slashed it across her body, creating a powerful wind.

The wind grabbed the wolf as it sent him across the field and then held him against a tree in the air. The wolf finally opened his eyes and noticed that he was being subdued and was being restrained by… nothing. He could feel that something was holding him up as he saw the female that he wanted coming towards him.

Within minutes of her arrival he found himself with a sword at his neck when she asks, "Do you submit to me?"

The wolf snorted, "There is no way I am going to submit to you, bitch!"

Kagome shrugged her shoulders and said, "So be it." She formed a ball of her Reiryoku and held it in her hand, then she sent it straight for his groin area. It hovered very close to his private area, then she looked up at the wolf again and asked, "Are you sure you don't want to submit to me, because if you don't I will purify that which you hold so dear. You won't have to worry about having an heir, or go looking for a female. You will never be able to satisfy her no matter what, plus you will have to squat to relieve yourself."

The wolf was very aware of where that ball of Reiryoku was located, at a very tender location. He could feel the heat of the ball already starting to burn his thighs. He could even smell the hair on his pelt burning away, and the heat of the ball against his manhood. He fought with his inner self on what she wanted from him. Finally, male pride be damned, he wanted to keep his pride and joy, and submitted to the little female.

Kagome grinned, she moved the ball of Reiryoku away from the male and released him. He fell to the ground on hands and knees, panting on what almost happened to his manhood. Kagome's eyes narrowed at the male, "Now will you allow me and my pack safe passage through this territory? Or will I have to kill all of you to have it?"

The male on the ground looked up, there was no way that he was going to go toe to toe with this female again, "No my lady, I promise you safe passage through our lands. If you need any help all you must do is call upon us and we will come to your aid. You have proven yourself to be a powerful alpha for your pack and we shall respect that." The male then stood, waving his arm over his head, the wolves moved away from the area. He had no intensions of making her angry again. She was a miko and a powerful one, there is no one that can make her submit. He pitied the fool who would try to make her.

He then bowed to the miko and left the area. He helped the other alpha's as they all have been released or have woken up from their attack against the miko.

Kagome noticed them leaving her and her pack alone, and breathed a sigh of relieve. She did not think that they would leave so easily. As a matter of fact, this fight was way too easy. She thought that they would have put up more of a fight and now it had her mind going. She turned, going back to her pack when she noticed that Miroku has already lowered the barrier around them.

Kagome turned her head slightly and asked, "Sesshoumaru? Are you all right?"

Sesshoumaru was very proud of his female. She demanded respect and she got it. The wolves of this area will never bother her again. She has made powerful allies and now all they needed to do was go and get the jewel shards from that pathetic wolf. He came out of his musing when he heard her question, "Yes miko I am fine. This one is proud of the way you handled yourself against the wolves. You kept your senses opened the whole time and never let them get the best of you."

Kagome blushed when she heard what he had to say. She has never been complimented before and it was a humbling experience. "Thank you Sesshoumaru, I am happy that you had faith in me to allow me to fight that battle. I needed to prove to all those males that I am powerful and that they should respect me as alpha. I guess all of that training that I have done is finally paying off."

Sesshoumaru chuckled while he came out of his hiding place and sat upon her shoulder. His tail was wrapped around her neck when he growled. He wanted to discuss some things with his female but it must wait until later this evening when they were alone.

Kagome moved back to her pack and kept her senses opened. Even though she won the battle with the alphas of this regions she still did not trust them to leave her alone. It will not be wise to lower her defenses just yet.

Then she got an idea as she whispered, "Sesshoumaru can you go up and tell Shippou not to come down yet. I want you to follow us from the air and look to see if we are being followed. I don't trust those wolves; I don't believe for an instant that they will admit defeat to me so easily. That battle should have gone on for a long time but it didn't."

Sesshoumaru listened to his mate and she did have a point. "Very well I will follow from above and I will see if we are being followed. If I see anything out of the ordinary, then I will inform you." With that Sesshoumaru formed his cloud of youki and floated up to where the dragon was waiting.

Once Sesshoumaru was gone Kagome turned her attention to her pack, "All right let's get out of here. If what that wolf said is true, then we must make it to where Koga is located so I can see what the damage is. I don't want to leave those jewel shards to those other wolves. I don't trust them and they can cause havoc in this region."

The pack agreed with her as they all started to leave the area. They were moving at a faster pace when they made it the rest of the way out of the field they were in and headed into the forest.

-oOo-

Inuyasha watched everything from his vantage point in the trees. He could not believe the level of power that the wench had. She was more powerful than Kikyou. He could not understand how she got so powerful but seeing is believing.

He watched when she took down all the alphas from the wolf tribes. It was amazing that she could do that. His eyes were turning red while he continued to watch his bitch. To think that she wanted to be his mate and he has denied her all this time. She has proven to him that she was a powerful alpha and would be a powerful mate for him. The only thing he had to do was make her submit to him.

He was so into his thought that he almost missed when he finally found his brother. He was so small. He saw him climbing out from under her hair then sit on her shoulder. _'Now what could have happened to make Sesshoumaru that size? Could it be that Naraku did this to him?'_

He had no idea if it was Naraku but a smirk came to his face, _'Now that he is that small I will be able to kill him. There will be no one that will stop me from finally getting my revenge on that bastard. I will teach him for messing with my pack. I know that he was the one responsible for convincing my pack to leave me to follow him and that wench.'_

He turned his attention back to the field and noticed that everyone was moving out at a fast pace, he cursed under this breath and followed. He had no idea where they were going but he was going to make sure that he was following them.

-oOo-

This is he end to another chapter, yes, this fight seemed too easy to Kagome and she has every reason to worry about what happened.

I'm sorry I was going to put all of the battle into one chapter but that would have made this chapter 30 pages long and it would have been too long of a read. So the second part of the wolf battles will be posted within a few days.

In the next chapter, Kagome meets up with Koga and his tribe, and finds out exactly what kind of damage was done to Koga and the jewels.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Kagome did not want to stop in the forest and continued on her way. Something was not right about all of this and she was determined to find out what was going on. Kagome was moving fast through the area while Miroku, Sango, along with the annoying kappa were riding on Kirara. The dragon was easily keeping pace with her while she raced through the area.

Kagome kept her mind opened, she was following her senses to where the jewel shards were located. She didn't feel anyone following them but that didn't mean anything. She knew that she was close to where Koga was located and it won't take her and her pack that long to get to his location.

Kagome finally made it to the area where Koga was located. She stopped short of a cliff and waited for her pack to catch up to her.

Kirara landed and let her passengers get off, then she transformed back into her smaller form. Kagome looked up and signaled the dragon to come down to her location.

Sesshoumaru noticed the miko's signal and had the dragon land, as soon as they did a powerful barrier went around the area to protect them while they were there. He thought this strange as he got off Ah-Un's head and floated over to his miko. Once he was in front of her he asked, "Miko why did you place a barrier around the area?"

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's words, then she explained. "I have a very bad feeling about this. Something doesn't feel right in this area. I want to make sure that we are protected while we make plans on how to approach Koga. I don't fully trust what I was told by those other wolves. I do believe that something has happened to Koga but I don't believe he is dying."

The pack heard what Kagome was saying as they all gathered around her to hear her plans.

Kagome noticed that everyone was listening to what she was saying and continued. "I can feel the jewel shards nearby and they are tainted worse than before. I don't know what we are going to find when we get up the cliff, to where Koga's den is located, but I expect the worse."

Miroku who was listening to what Kagome was saying was confused, "Kagome-sama what do you mean that the jewels are tainted worse than before?"

Kagome turned her attention to the monk and replied, "The jewel shards are fouler now than they were before. This could cause Koga to change his physical appearance. Koga has the jewel shards in his legs to make him faster than his usual speed. Yes, he uses the power of the jewels but his heart was never tainted by them. With the changes that I am feeling in the jewel it could mean that Koga will become a formidable opponent for us to defeat.

"That battle with the wolf alphas was a test to see if I could defeat them in a fight. I figured out their plan on my way here. They know that Koga has changed and is a formidable opponent. They know that as a tribe they have no hope of defeating him but if I proved myself to be powerful then I would have a chance of defeating Koga and take his jewel shards from him.

"Once the shards are removed from his legs everyone in his tribe should go back to normal." To say that everyone was shocked was an understatement. They had no idea that the wolf alphas were testing Kagome to find out how powerful she was.

Sesshoumaru was sitting there listening to his miko. She did have a valid point on what was going on. She did mention that her fight was too easy. If they were testing her strength, then that could be the cause of why it didn't last longer. He could tell that the animals of the forest are nowhere near this place and it was very quiet, meaning that they all could feel the danger in the area. "It's too quiet in this area. There is no sign of life in this forest. Even the insects are gone from this area meaning that there is danger here."

Everyone heard Sesshoumaru's words as they stopped to listen, he was right, there were no sounds being made in this area. No birds, or insect were in the area. This was not good, it only meant that they were in for a big fight.

Kagome and the rest of her friends sat down as they came up with a plan of attack. She knew that she would be the main one fighting Koga, but the rest of her pack will be left to fight against his pack or anything else in the area.

Kagome turned and then stuck her hand into her bag, pulling out several medallions. She placed them in her hand and covered it with the other one. She closed her eyes and started chanting a spell. The more she chanted the brighter her hands got until she was done with what she was doing.

She then turned her attention to the Youkai Lord, "Sesshoumaru can we trust Jaken to protect Rin while we are fighting with Koga. I don't want her to get hurt while we are away."

Sesshoumaru could see the kappa about to respond to the miko's comment, and answered before the kappa could open his mouth, "He can protect her but his powers are limited. He has protected her in the past, but as you saw when they came after him, he does have his limitations."

Kagome understood, she got up from her place and walked over to the two-headed dragon. She smiled at the beast while she petted each of their heads in turn. "I know Ah-Un that you will protect Rin with your lives. But I have something that will protect you in case they come after you while we are gone. Will you accept my gift?"

The dragons looked at the little miko, they wanted to be able to protect Rin no matter what and if the miko has something that will help them then they will accept the gift. They both nodded yes to the little miko when they noticed the bright smile that she gave them. She placed a medallion around each of their necks as it glowed with power.

Once it settled down she said, "These medallions will boost your powers 10-fold. It will allow you to protect Rin with more ease. But if you see that it is getting too dangerous in this area, I want you to take Rin and leave, her safety is the most important thing to me, do you understand?"

The dragons were very pleased with the gift that the little miko gave them. They both nodded their understanding of her orders and nuzzled the little miko. They both thought that their master has selected a perfect mate for himself. She was powerful, but most of all she cared for the little girl that they protected.

Kagome then turned her attention to Rin, she grabbed her hand and then went to sit down with the others. She brought her into her lap and stated, "Rin, honey, I have a gift for you." She then put a medallion around her neck as it lit with power. It settled itself around the child as Rin saw the beautiful gift that her mother gave her. "Oh, Kagome-sama this is very pretty."

Kagome chuckled when she heard Rin's words on her gift, "This medallion will protect you while you are away from me. It will let no harm come to you. I must leave you in Ah-Un's care while we go take care of something. I want you to stay with him no matter what happens, he will protect you with his life. If you need me all you have to do is hold the medallion in your hands and call for me. I will hear you and I will come to you as soon as possible."

Rin was very happy with her gift. She turned around and hugged Kagome, "Thank you mama, I know with this I will be safe with Ah-Un."

Kagome hugged her daughter and then released her. She then looked at everyone in the immediate area and proceeded to tell them what she was thinking about, "All right here is the plan. Ah-Un will stay with Rin. He will protect her while the rest of us go after Koga." Kagome then turned her attention to the kappa and stated in a heated voice, "That's right Jaken you are coming with us to fight and I don't want to hear your mouth. I expect you to fight alongside my pack and carry your weight."

Jaken was floored, he thought that he was going to be saddled with the ningen child once more but he was mistaken. He has never gone into battle, and to tell you the truth he was scared shitless. For the first time Jaken did not say a word as the miko detailed the rest of her plans to the pack.

When everything was set, they all set out to get the jewel shards from Koga.

Kagome left her barrier around the dragon and Rin while they were away. But Ah-Un knew that if they were found, to get out of the area fast and take Rin somewhere that was safe. They will track him once they were done with Koga.

Miroku and Sango got on board Kirara while Kagome formed her cloud under her feet. Shippou and Jaken climbed aboard the cloud as Sesshoumaru took his normal place on the miko's shoulder. When she was ready they all floated up the face of the cliff to where Koga had his den.

Kagome remembered this area very well and looked around. She reached out with her mind and asked the trees of the area, _'Trees of the land what can you tell me about what is going on in this area? Is there any danger to my pack?'_

Kagome heard the branches of the trees moving in the wind as they answered her call, _'Lady Miko, you must be careful. The one you seek is not right. He holds tremendous powers and is feared by all.'_

Kagome understood the trees warning, it was as she suspected, the jewel is causing the changes that she was feeling in Koga. This was not going to be easy but she was determined to make things right.

Once the pack got to the top of the cliff they all got off the cloud and Kirara. They were making their way towards Koga's den on foot so they could see what was going on.

The first thing that Kagome noticed was that no one was on guard duty. She remembered that when she was here before there were wolves everywhere. But this time there was no one there to greet them. She continued to walk cautiously through the area keeping her senses opened.

Kagome could detect nothing in the area, this made her more nervous than she already was, she had a thought and whispers, "Sesshoumaru, can your senses pick up anything? I'm not getting anything, to me this area feels likes its abandoned."

Sesshoumaru heard his female and opened his senses. He could pick up nothing at all as he sniffed the area. The hair in the back of his neck stood up and he growled. Kagome stopped the moment she heard Sesshoumaru's growl while she waited for him to tell her what was going on. "Miko, we are surrounded. The wolves for some reason cannot be detected by aura but there is a foul stench in this area. We must proceed with caution."

Kagome understood, she gave hand signals to her pack, telling them what was going on around the area. They now knew to pay attention to the area around them, while they proceeded with caution. The only one that was left clueless was Jaken because he was not paying attention to what was going on around him. He was too worried about going off to do battle that he was in his own little world.

The group finally made it to the waterfall where Koga's den was located. Kagome's eyes opened wide when she saw the rest of the wolf tribe. They have all changed as they approach her party. They were all larger in size and primitive in appearance. It was like she was seeing the wolves from the ice age.

Once she had an idea of what their auras was like she could easily tell that they were everywhere. She signaled her friends again as they all got ready to do battle. Kagome stepped forward and asked, "Where is Koga?"

The wolves around the area were licking their chops when they saw the delectable female that was in their mist. The wolf Youkai looked like werewolves. They were larger than they were before. Their arms were longer with larger fangs hanging out of their mouths. They were more feral than they normally would be. The wolves that were always with Koga's pack were also larger in size. They looked like the wolves of old she remembered seeing in her history books.

Kagome stood her ground until she heard one wolf say, "Now why would you want to know where Koga is, hmm? Wouldn't I do for you? I'm sure that I can pleasure you much better than Koga."

Kagome huffed at his statement, "I have business with Koga, if he is not here then I will take my leave." Kagome knew that Koga was inside his cave behind the waterfall.

The wolves around the area were getting agitated as one said, "Who are you to demand to see our leader?"

"I am Kagome, I was once considered a sister of this tribe, is that not true anymore? Do you see me as an enemy?" Kagome stated with a regal voice. Sesshoumaru has never heard his female speak so formally before. She almost sounded like him and he smirked. His female was picking up on some of his habits and it pleased him to no end.

The wolves around the area were clearly surprised by her answer. She noticed when some of the wolves darted back into the cave behind the waterfall to get their leader. A few minutes later a howl was heard from the cave when Koga finally came out to greet her.

 _-_ oOo-

Several wolves ran into the cave where their leader was located. They hurried to his location where he was rutting with a female when they stopped and bowed to him.

Koga noticed when the wolves came to his location. He was pissed for being interrupted and growled, "What do you want? I told you that I didn't want to be disturbed."

The wolves' coward back as one of them stated, "Koga, Kagome is outside asking for you."

Koga stopped what he was doing and turned feral eyes to his wolves, "You say Kagome is outside?"

The wolves nodded their heads yes to his question when a gleam came into Koga's eyes. _'Finally, my woman has come to take her rightful place as my mate. She must have gotten tired of waiting for that dog shit to come to his senses.'_ He turned his attention to the bitch he was with as he grabbed her ass and continued with what he was doing. Finally releasing his load into this female.

She will make number four that will carry his pup, as he emptied himself into her body. When his body finally released her, he moved away from her and dressed. He was getting horny again and this time he will make Kagome his mate. He couldn't wait to get her.

Once he was done dressing he rushed outside to find his woman, when he got there his eyes locked on his female and he noticed the changes in her. His mouth was hanging open while he drooled. She was gorgeous, he didn't know what happened to make her look like this but damn he was not complaining.

He got himself together, it would not due to let her see him like this, he walked straight and tall for her, wanting her to see what he had to offer her as a mate, "Welcome, it's about time that my woman came to take her rightful place at my side." Koga felt pain on his chest, and he was pushed back about ten feet. He looked down, that's when he noticed a whip mark going across his chest and felt the burn of her holy powers. He was bleeding, then he looked up with blood red eyes. "Bitch! Why did you attack me?"

Kagome noticed when Koga came out of his den. He was larger than before and he smelled heavily of sex. It was easy enough to guess what he was doing. His once perfectly kept hair was in disarray, his fangs were longer, his aura was more powerful, and the shards in his legs were the purest black that she has ever seen.

Koga's tail was moving from side to side while he was looking at her. When he said that she was his woman Kagome lost it, she let her whip come out of her fingers and hit him in the chest.

Kagome stood tall when she heard his words. "How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not your woman! I will not allow you to make such false claims on me. I have come for the jewel shards in your legs and then I will leave."

Koga got up, laughing. "There is no way that I'm going to give you my shards. I think that their power has made some great improvements to me and my tribe, don't you think?"

"No Koga I don't think so. You have allowed the jewel to taint you and it has changed you into what you are now. I want the jewel shards, if you don't give them to me then I will take them from you." Kagome stated in a no non-sense voice while she signaled her pack to get ready. This was going to be a very hard battle.

Koga growled, yipped, snarled, and barked at his wolves as they all moved to attack the females pack.

Kagome growled, yipped and snarled right back at Koga, startling him from his thoughts. _'Bitch you can understand what I am saying to my wolves?'_

' _Yes, you bastard! You will not harm my pack. This fight is between you and me. Touch my pack and you will pay the price for what you are about to do."_ Kagome stood her ground, she waited to see what Koga was going to do.

Koga stood there as he thought about what his female was saying to him. It surprised him that she could speak his language. A smile came over his features when he barked out, _"Attack!"_

Kagome's pack was ready as they fought the wolves that came towards them. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou were fairing very well against the wolves. They were slowly taking them out of commission but Jaken was having his own trouble with the battle. When they looked for the nasty little kappa he was nowhere to be found. Shippou caught his scent as he was hiding in the forest, away from the real threat.

The pack didn't worry about Jaken while they continued to battle, they noticed when Koga turn his attention towards Kagome and rushed in to grab her.

Kagome quickly put up a barrier when Koga hit it full force. She threw him back from her location, he was slightly purified by her barrier and breathing hard when he landed on the ground. She reached up into her hair and got her sword. It was now time to teach this wolf a lesson in manners.

Koga shook his head to clear it of its foggy state and stood up. He noticed all the burn marks on his arms and legs. His bitch almost purified him and he didn't like it one bit. He turned his attention in her direction when he saw her walking towards him.

For the first time, he looked at the female that he wanted, really looked at her, and noticed all the changes that she has undergone. Her hair was longer than before, she had markings on her cheeks, and there was something under her bangs that he couldn't see. Her aura was more powerful than before and her hair was moving gently behind her. But the odd thing was that there was no wind in the area.

He cracked his knuckles and rushed in. He pulled back his fist and let it fly when he was close enough to her. He was going to knock her out and then take her as his mate in front of his pack and hers. There will be no more disputes on who she belonged to. The half breed be damned he will not be able to claim her as his bitch.

Kagome noticed what Koga was going to do and ducked under his fist. She turned and using the hilt of her sword, hits him in the back of the head. He went face first into the dirt while she turned and took another fighting stance against him.

Koga got up and pulled his sword from its sheath. He never used the damn thing but now he needed it. His female was being difficult and he had to disarm her. He squared his shoulders and moved in to cross swords with his miko. It was a stalemate as they fought for position. Then to Koga's amazement his female knocked him away from her and he had to quickly turn to defend himself against her attacks. With each blow that she gave him it was weakening him.

Kagome knew that she had to keep purifying the shards in Koga's leg and the only way to do that was to keep attacking him. When Koga came after her with his sword she now had the perfect opportunity to do just that.

She poured her Reiryoku into her sword and used it to push him away from her. She then went on the offensive and attacked. Kagome's powers grew with each blow she gave the wolf; she was moving faster and faster as Koga tried to protect himself from her furious attacks.

Kagome was letting her anger get the best of her as she kept on releasing more power. Her eyes turned red while her body pulsed. The pulse that came out of her body knocked the wolf away from her and then she sent every wolf in the area flying.

She was one pissed off miko, she held her hand out and continued to pulse her aura calling for the jewel shards.

Koga could feel that the shards wanted to leave his legs. He tried to prevent them from escaping by putting his hands over them. But he cried out in pain, when the shards came out of his legs and right through his hands to go to the miko.

The moment the foul shards touched her hand they purified back to a pale pink. She held her hand up to her neck as the two shards joined the large stone she had sitting there. Once they were merged she turned her attention to the male in front of her.

Koga was in pain when he fell to his knees. He was drained of his powers, and was feeling extremely weak. He looked up from the ground and noticed the large chuck of jewel that his woman had. His eyes tinted red, his thirst for power overrode any common sense that he might have possessed.

He lunged for his woman hoping to take her jewel shards from her.

Kagome saw that Koga was coming towards her again. She balled her fist tight and channeled some of her Reiryoku into it. When he was close enough she leaned forward and hit him square in the chest. She sent him flying backwards into several trees before he stopped and fell to the ground.

Koga was in tremendous pain now. He looked down at his chest and noticed that the area where Kagome hit him was now burnt skin. She has purified the area that she touched and it will take weeks for him to heal.

Koga looked up and noticed a very pissed off miko heading his way. He went to stand when he felt a sword being held at his throat. He looked and followed the sword to its owner, "Kagome, what the hell is going on? Why did you attack me like that? I thought that you came here to be my woman?"

Kagome heard what the idiot was saying to her, she pressed her sword to his throat a little more causing him to bleed. It shut the wolf up while she said with a deadly voice, "I am not now nor will I ever be your woman! Get that through your thick skull that you are just too weak of a male to defeat me. You don't even stand a chance against me unless you have the jewel shards in your legs.

"Now submit, because if you don't then I will kill you."

Koga was stunned out of his mind with what his female was saying to him. He looked around the area and saw all his wolves laying on the ground. Her pack was there standing around waiting for his miko. "Where is mutt face? Why isn't he here with you?"

Kagome was growing impatient, "I don't care where that mutt is right now. I'm here for the jewel shards and now that I have them I have no reason to stay. But I will not have you running after me making a verbal claim on my person. From this day forth you will never make a verbal claim against me or I will have to gut you. Do you understand now what I'm telling you?"

Koga swallowed hard while he looked at his female. Her eyes were blood red, a feature that he has only seen in female Youkai. He knew that he has lost this fight because she was such a powerful female he will never get her to submit to him, no matter how hard he tried. He turned his head to the side and finally submitted to her.

When Kagome noticed that he submitted to her, she let her anger go and calmed down, her eyes returned to normal, and she removed her sword from his neck. She put it back in her hair, then turned to look for her pack. They were all standing there looking at her with worry in their eyes. Then she heard Sango say, "Kagome! Behind you!"

Koga could not take being beaten by a female. As soon as she turned her back to him he jumped from his position on the ground and struck the female who made a fool of him. He slashed Kagome across her back, when she stumbled forward. That was the last thing he saw before his eyes went blank and he fell to his death.

Kagome heard what Sango was yelling at her, before she could react to the warning she felt tremendous pain on her back. She took a couple of steps forward to keep her balance, then she let her anger go.

She put her hand out to the side and let her claws grow. You could see a pink mist coming from her fingers when she turned around and stuck her hand into Koga's chest. Her fingers borrowed deeper into his chest as she tore thru muscle and bone to reach the item of her desire. When she found it, she wrapped her small fingers around the object and pulled it out of his chest.

Koga fell dead on the ground as his heart was still beating in Kagome's hand. She looked at it and crushed it in her palm. He will never attack her or call her his woman ever again.

Then she felt someone coming towards her, thinking that they were more wolves she snarled and was about to attack again. A barrier went around her body as Shippou stopped her pack from getting any closer to her.

Sango and Miroku were shocked to see what their friend did to Koga. They moved to see if they could tend to her wounds when Shippou rushed forward and grabbed them. "You can't get near her right now. She is in blood lust and if you get near her she will kill you too. You must let Lord Sesshoumaru calm her down from her rage. He is the one that placed that barrier around her."

Miroku and Sango understood as they waited to see what would happen.

Sesshoumaru was with Kagome the entire time that she was confronting the wolf. He was proud of her and the way she handled herself. He could feel the change in her as her anger was being released. The wolf knew better than to make her angry but he didn't care and that was his down fall.

When the wolf submitted Sesshoumaru thought that was the end of it. He didn't feel the attack coming towards his miko and she was now hurt. But then he felt her powers grow as her eyes turned red once again. This is the third time that he has seen her eyes go red as a pink mist was coming out of her claws.

Sesshoumaru eyes opened wide, he couldn't believe what he was seeing, he looked down again and sure enough his miko had claws. It looked like she was turning into a demoness. He hung on for dear life when his miko turned and stuck her hand into the wolf's chest.

He could hear bones breaking as her hand dug deep. When she pulled her hand out she had his heart in her palm and it was still beating. The wolf's lifeless body fell to the ground and after she crushed the heart in her hand, she dropped it and then flicked the blood away from her fingers.

Sesshoumaru felt when her pack was approaching her and this was not good. She was still in her blood lust and has not calmed down. He threw a barrier around her body to protect her and her pack, he moved to her neck as he started to growl gently for her. His tail was wrapped around her neck while he licked his courting mark.

Kagome had no idea what was going on as a barrier went around her body. She was about to attack it when she heard a gentle growl next to her ear. She felt something soft massaging her neck. Then she felt someone licking her neck and when they got to this one spot it made her knees weak and she fell to the ground.

Kagome was panting hard; she was finally calming down when her anger left her. She closed her eyes, took some deep breaths and soon felt her head clear. When she opened her eyes, they were no longer red but she was in pain.

Kagome looked up, she was confused on why she was on the ground, looking around the area she noticed that her pack was far away from her. Then she noticed the barrier around her body, "What's going on? Why is there a barrier around me?"

Sesshoumaru stopped what he was doing once his female was calm. He floated in front of her face and stated, "You went into a blood lust when the wolf attacked and injured you." He looked at the confused expression on her face and continued. "Come my miko, we must leave this area and take care of your wounds. Then I will answer any questions that you may have."

Kagome agreed, but felt too weak to move and Sesshoumaru noticed this. He called for Shippou to come and get his mother.

Shippou leaped to his mother's location and gently picked her up. He started to move out of the area before the wolves woke up from their slumber and found their alpha dead. The pack moved quickly as Sango and Miroku followed the two Youkai that had Kagome with them. They were both worried about Kagome's wounds as they hurried to get away from this area.

-oOo-

Inuyasha followed the pack as they left the open field. They were moving fast while he tried to keep pace. He found the area they were in and moved cautiously through the area. He wanted to hear what they were saying but if he moved in too close they will know that he was nearby and that will be the end of him. So, he stayed away from them and when they moved out once more he followed.

He noticed right away that the child that traveled with his brother was left behind. He was wondering where they were going when he started to smell wolves. _'Now why are they heading towards Koga's den? Is that bitch going to become his mate? I'll fucking kill her if she does.'_

He kept himself hidden from his former friends while he traveled behind them to see what they were going to do.

Inuyasha could tell that something was not right in this place. When he saw all of Koga's wolves he wondered what happen to make them all change like this. They were a lot more powerful than before. He kept on watching when he finally saw Koga coming out of his cave. His eyes opened wide when he notices how he has changed.

When he opened his mouth, and started calling Kagome his woman he was about to attack himself, but then he saw the whip that came out of Kagome's fingers. _'Since when can she do that? I never knew that she could produce a whip like Sesshoumaru.'_

He thought it best to stay in the trees and watch what the wench was going to do. If he tried to enter the fight he would wind up getting killed and that was something that he had no intentions of doing.

He watched Kagome battle the wolf and he was very turned on by her power, _'Hmm… I never noticed how powerful Kagome was. She is even more powerful than Kikyou. She would make a good mate. I wonder why I never noticed this before.'_

Inuyasha started to get a hard on watching Kagome battle the smelly wolf. He almost fell out of his tree branch laughing when Kagome made him submit to her. But when he attacked her he started to see red. He was going to kill that wolf when the wench beat him to it. This was a side of her that he has never seen before. She killed that wolf in cold blood and it didn't even faze her. He was wondering what has happened to her to make her change this much, then the idiots from his pack started to make their way towards her.

' _Those idiots! Don't they see that she is in a blood lust and if they approach her she will kill them?'_ He was surprised when Shippou stopped them and a barrier went around the wench. He was wondering where that barrier came from when he noticed that he has not seen his bastard brother anywhere.

When he looked back at Kagome he saw Sesshoumaru floating in front of her face as the kit ran over and picked Kagome up in his arms. He noticed the way he held her and started to growl. Kagome was his and no one was going to take her away from him. She was his bitch and she will learn her place within his pack.

But then he noticed that she was hurt and this was his chance. He could subdue her before she recovers from her injuries. All he had to do was follow them to where they were going and watch until they left her unprotected. He will move in, make her submit to him as alpha, and then he will mark her as his. It was the perfect plan as he jumped from his branch in hot pursuit of his female.

-oOo-

The group made it back to the area where they left Rin and the dragon. Once they got the little girl on the dragon, Shippou jumped on as well with Sesshoumaru on the kits shoulder.

Sesshoumaru gave a series of growls to the dragon while he stated to his mate's pack, "Follow us on the neko. We are going back to the cave where it's protected. Inuyasha is still following us and I will not risk him attacking the miko while she is weak." Everyone understood as Sango, Miroku, and Jaken climbed on Kirara and followed the dragon.

Inuyasha was pissed when he saw the group take off on the dragon and Kirara. This was going to make it harder for him to follow, since they were moving faster than normal thru the sky. But he was determined not to be left behind. He moved faster through the forest, trying to keep pace but the group was leaving him behind.

Sesshoumaru looked over his shoulder when he noticed that his brother was still trying to follow them. He could just hear him cursing for leaving him behind and smirked. He turned his attention back to the front and looked down to his female. He could feel her trying to heal her wounds when the bleeding finally stopped and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He turned his mind inward and tried to get his emotions under control. She was hurt because he could not protect her as her mate to be. He understood that she wanted to fight these battles on her own but it was still instinct that was screaming at him to protect her.

Sesshoumaru had faith in his miko to protect herself but there would be times when she could not. Like now, he knew that Inuyasha was still following them and with her being hurt he needed a safe place where she could heal all the way. He knew that they could make it back to his ancestral caves before night fall and that it was a place that was safe and protected for his miko until she healed. Plus, it was a place where his idiot brother would not be able to enter.

Sesshoumaru was brought out of his mussing when he heard Rin speaking.

Rin was concerned when she saw that Shippou was carrying her mother. She noticed the blood staining her haori but at the time she could not ask questions as they all hurried to get out of the area. But now she was free to ask, "Shippou? Is mama going to be all right?"

Shippou looked up from his mother to Rin. He smiled at her while he tried to reassure her, "Yes Rin mama is going to be just fine. The bleeding has stopped and she is just sleeping now. When we get to where we are going then we can take care of her better, but for now don't worry, Lord Sesshoumaru and I will make sure that she is well taken care of."

Rin was happy with that and turned forward to see where they were going. She was hungry but she will wait until they arrived at a place where her mother could be taken care of.

True to Sesshoumaru's predications the pack arrived at the cave prior to the sun going down. He opened the barrier to allow the dragon and the neko through before he closed them again. The group landed in front of the cave as they started with what they needed to do.

Sango and Rin went to get some water as Miroku went to find some firewood. Shippou carried his mother into the cave, he was following Sesshoumaru to the location that he wanted her placed in.

They finally reached the back of the cave to the pallet of furs that was laying there on the ground. He put his mother face down on the furs, he didn't want to hurt her by laying her down on her back.

Shippou looked up when he heard running feet approaching. He was ready to attack to defend his mother when he saw Sango and Rin coming towards him with some water and his mother's backpack. Miroku had an arm full of firewood, he placed them down by the circle of rocks in the middle of the floor. He built a fire for the females to take care of Kagome. When he was done, he moved back to the front of the cave to start another fire. He didn't want to be in the area when they started to treat Kagome's wounds.

Shippou, seeing that his mother was in good hands, made his way outside to go hunting for the evening meal. He knew that his mother needed food to get stronger, his alpha will not leave his mother while she was hurt, so it was his job to feed everyone.

Sango looked around and noticed that the males were gone. She put a pot on the fire to heat some water, then she started to remove Kagome's top. When they got her top off they moved her hair out of the way to see the extent of her injuries. It was not as bad as Sango thought it was. She got some hot water from the fire, and then cleaned Kagome's back.

Rin was helping her while she handed her a towel to dry her mother's back. Sango noticed that there were only a few areas that were still bleeding. It was not much but Sango got some of Kagome's medicine out of her bag and put it on her wounds. She then covered her back and just let her rest, she didn't want to wrap her wounds when it was only a few areas that were bleeding.

Sango found it odd that the Youkai Lord was nowhere around the area. She turned her attention to Rin and asked, "Rin would you like to help me make the evening meal? Kagome is going to be sleeping for a while. But I bet that by the time we are done cooking she will be awake and then you can bring her back some food."

Rin's eyes lit up and agreed to help the slayer cook the evening meal. Then she will be able to help her mother with the pack. Both females then got up as they left Kagome to rest while they made her some food to eat.

Sesshoumaru was in the shadows while he watched what the slayer and Rin were doing to his miko. He will never leave her unprotected when she was weak like now. When he saw the pack females leave, he jumped down from his perch and sat next to his miko.

He looked at her with longing in his eyes. He wanted her so bad but because Naraku placed this curse on his person he could not. He needed to find a way to get rid of this curse. He was so upset for not protecting her that he was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard his miko gently growling at him.

She soothed his beast and him as she tried to assure him that she was fine and just needed to sleep to recover. He moved closer to her then he gently caressed her cheek. He saw her move closer to his touch when she whispered, "Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru smiled, for even in her sleep she was still thinking about him. _'A God am I little miko? Do you really think of me as a God? I find that ironic since I consider you my Goddess. You are perfect in every way.'_ He nuzzled her and sat down by her to wait until she woke up from her sleep.

-oOo-

Inuyasha continued running after his brother and his former pack. He has no idea where they were going but he knew he was getting close. He ran head first into a powerful barrier that threw him back into a tree. He slid down and landed hard on the ground.

After a few minutes, he got up and shook his head. When he looked up he saw a powerful barrier right in front of him. "No, NO! This can't be happening! Dammit Sesshoumaru I'm going to kill you for this." He got up off the ground as he pulled his sword. He was determined to bring this barrier down no matter what. But when he looked at his sword he noticed that it wouldn't transform for him.

He then proceeded to curse up a blue streak with every foul word that he knew as he ran towards the barrier and took a swipe with his claws. Try as he might he could not bring this barrier down, he then started to follow it around. _'There has to be a weak spot in this damn barrier. This is my one chance to get to the wench and make her submit to me.'_

Inuyasha ran the whole parameter of the barrier and he could not find a weak spot to it. The barrier, on top of that, was large. He could sense that his pack was in there but he had no idea where. There was nothing he could do to get to them, then he found a tree and jumped into its high branches, while he sat down to think about his next move.

He will wait until they left the barrier and follow them to see where they would go next. There had to be a reason why the wench went to get the wolf's shards. Could it be that they were the last ones that Naraku didn't have? And if that was the reason, the only other place they will go from here will be back to Edo.

Inuyasha had an evil grin on his face when he came up with a plan. He was positive that his ass of a brother will not leave this place until the wench is completely healed. He has lost his chance to get her while she was weak and she will be back to being powerful by the time they left here.

He came to a decision that he will head back to Edo in the morning. He was sure the wench will go back there once she was healed, and when she got back he will have a nice surprise waiting for her, something that will make her weak and he will be able to subdue her every easily.

He leaned back in his tree and got comfortable for the night. He was tired and needed to get some rest before he headed back home to his forest, then he will wait for the wench to return. He will teach her not to mess with him and his pack.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter, Koga met his end by Kagome's hand, too bad the wolf never paid attention to her or her temper.

In the next chapter, you will see what Inuyasha is planning for Kagome. Finally, words of comfort are spoken in the waking world by both Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Kagome woke a few hours later to the sound of gentle growling. It was soothing her while she slept and when she opened her eyes she noticed that the Youkai Lord was lying next to her. His tail was wrapped around her wrist in a way that would wake him up if she moved away from him.

She gave a gentle smile when she noticed that he was still sleeping. She closed her eyes once more and thought about what happened that day. Her back was hurting her and she had no idea why. She didn't remember getting injured while fighting Koga.

Kagome was trying to recall everything that happened to her but there was a blank spot in her memory, where she didn't know what happened after Koga submitted to her. She remembered beating him in battle and making him submit but the only thing she could remember was Sango yelling at her to look behind her. That is where her memory fails her.

At that moment she felt when Sesshoumaru unwrapped his tail from around her wrist and she opened her eyes. She noticed him standing up looking at her, she gave a groan and pushed her body off the soft furs she was lying on, to sit up.

She took some deep breaths to fill her lungs and when her body settled, she asked, "Sesshoumaru, where are we?"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru woke the moment his little miko came out of her slumber. He stayed where he was to see what she would do. He noticed the smile that came to her lips when she saw him next to her, then she closed her eyes once more.

He could feel that she was deep in thought. The confusion in her aura was evident. He concluded that his little miko did not remember what happened. He decided to get up so he could address her concerns.

He growled and pulled his tail from around her wrist and got up from her side. He noticed when she opened her eyes and then pushed herself up from her sleeping spot. His eyes opened wide when he saw her glorious mounds come into full view. It was a sight to behold and he couldn't wait for the day that he could suckle on them and bring pleasure to his little mate.

He turned his attention back to his little miko when he heard her question, "We are at my ancestral cave. We came here after the battle with Koga and you were injured."

Kagome heard his words, she was confused about what happened after Koga submitted to her, "What happened to Koga? I don't remember much after he submitted to me."

Sesshoumaru was surprised by this and proceeded to tell his little miko what happened. He never told her how the wolf died to see if she could remember. While he was talking, he noticed that she was getting upset. She didn't remember what happened and it was bothering him. When he finished with his story he heard her ask, "Sesshoumaru, what happened to Koga? How badly did I hurt him?"

Sesshoumaru sighed he didn't want to answer this question, but he would never lie to her on anything. He took a deep breath, getting ready to tell his miko what happened to the wolf, "Miko the Ookami is dead. He will not bother you again."

Kagome was shocked to hear this. She didn't remember him dying. She was so confused about this turn of events, she raised her right hand to rub her forehead. She had a tremendous headache and didn't know why. But she had to know how he died. "Sesshoumaru how did he die? Who killed him?"

Now Sesshoumaru knew that something was wrong with his mate, "Miko do you not remember how he died?"

Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru as she shook her head, "No I don't remember what happened after he submitted to me. All I remember was walking away from him and Sango yelling to look behind me. Then I remember waking up from a dreamlike state, the pain I was in and that you would explain what happened after you tended to my wounds."

Sesshoumaru listened to his female, she was not going to take the information, that he was about to impart to her, very well, "Miko the wolf prince died by your hand. Once he submitted to you, the fight was over. You turned to leave the area and he attacked you from behind. Your eyes turned red, like mine do when my beast surfaces. You turned around and stuck your hand into his chest and pulled his heart out where you proceeded to crush it. He was dead before he hit the ground."

Kagome was shocked, she didn't understand what was going on, "Sesshoumaru what is happening to me? This is the third time that you mention to me that my eyes have turned red. What am I becoming?"

Sesshoumaru moved closer to his female as he said, "I do not know miko, to me it seems that you are turning into a demoness. Is it possible that your line might have Youkai blood in it?"

Kagome thought about what Sesshoumaru was asking her and she didn't know the answer to that question. "I have no idea Sesshoumaru. The only one who would know something like that would be my mother."

Sesshoumaru thought about Kagome's answer and stated, "Then miko, when you recover from your injuries I suggest a quick trip to visit your mother. She might know what is going on with you." Then a thought came to Sesshoumaru's mind, _'Could my courting mark be doing this? I have never heard of such a thing before. But her changes started after I marked her in our dream world.'_ Now this was something that he would have to do some research on.

He turned his attention to his miko when he noticed her deep in thought. "Miko, why don't you go and take a hot bath? You will feel better once you do."

When Kagome heard Sesshoumaru's suggestion she couldn't agree more, she could feel that her hair was stiff when she looked down. She turned bright red when she noticed that she didn't have a top on. She tried to get her embarrassment under control then she pulled her hair over her shoulder.

When she moved, it hurt her, she was wondering whether any of the wounds on her back was still open, "Sesshoumaru, can you see if my wounds are healed?"

Sesshoumaru was carefully watching his miko, he noticed the lovely red staining her cheeks when she finally realized that she didn't have a top on. She moved her hair over her shoulder which covered her front, much to his disappointment, when he heard her request.

Sesshoumaru formed his youki cloud under his feet, lifting off the ground he went to look at his miko's back. He moved closer to her, his hand passed over the light pink scar that could still be seen. It was healing nicely and in about an hour there should be no more scars. Even the areas where the slayer put salve on was now healed and no longer bleeding. "Miko your wounds are now healed. In a few hours, there will be no evidence that you were ever attacked."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru said to her, she nodded in understanding, then got up from the ground. She grabbed her bag that was next to her and slowly made her way to the hot springs. She noticed that Sesshoumaru was not following her, she stopped and said over her shoulder, "Are you coming Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru was taken by surprise by his miko's request. But he was never one to turn down a request from her so he quickly followed her. He decided that he could use a bath as well but most importantly he would welcome the grooming he would receive from his female.

When they finally got to the hot spring, Kagome laid a towel down and then put their clean clothes on it. She turned and looked for Sesshoumaru to get his kimono so she could wash it. She noticed that he was already out in the water and his kimono was laying right in front of her. She gathered up their clothes as she quickly washed them and then laid them out on a rock to dry.

Kagome then grabbed her bathing supplies and put them near the edge of the spring and went in. The water felt great on her sore muscles. It stung her back, where she was wounded, but after a while the sting went away. She swam to the middle of the springs as she went under the water to get wet.

Once she swam around for a few minutes she came near the shore and then grabbed her bathing supplies. She called for Sesshoumaru who was still moving around in the water. When he was close enough to her she grabbed him out of the water and placed him on her knee.

Kagome enjoyed bathing Sesshoumaru as his growls and grunts always made her smile. When she was done bathing him, she saw him get up, then jump from her knee back into the water to get rinsed off. She then took her bath and when she was done cleaning herself she too went into the water and started to rinse herself off.

But instead of getting out of the water when she was done Kagome chose to sit in the water to think. She just couldn't understand what was happening to her. _'Why am I changing so much?'_ She took her hand and rubbed her neck where the mark was located. _'Could Sesshoumaru's mark be changing me in some form? If it is then why hasn't he told me about it? I wouldn't mind changing into a demoness if it means that I will stay with him forever. But… what if… it's not his mark that is doing this to me? Then what could be changing me this much? I hope that mom has the answer to my questions because I have no idea what is going on.'_

Sesshoumaru was sitting on the shore waiting for his little miko to come back. He watched when she went under the water to get the soap off her body. He was beginning to get worried when she wouldn't come back up, he was about to go and look for her when he saw her coming up for air. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw her coming closer to the edge of the spring.

But to his surprise she didn't come out of the water but instead chose to go and sit on a ledge in the water. He could tell that she was deep in thought. He decided that he didn't like her this quiet so he made up his mind to find out what she was thinking about.

Sesshoumaru swam out to where she was located as he jumped out of the water and landed gently on her knee. He sat down, wrapping his tail around his waist, and looked up at his miko. He noticed the confusion in her eyes and asked, "Miko what troubles you?"

Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts and looked down to see Sesshoumaru sitting on her knee. She exhaled a heavy sigh, "I was thinking about what is happening to me. I have no idea why I have been changing so much, plus if I am changing what does it mean for me? Am I going to become someone that no one will love because I'm ugly and worthless?"

At that moment Kagome couldn't hold it in anymore and started to cry. She just didn't know what she was becoming and it scared her that it might drive Sesshoumaru away from her.

Sesshoumaru heard Kagome's concerns when he saw her crying. He couldn't take her being in pain. "Miko please do not cry. You may be changing but you are still you. The changes only happen when you become extremely angry. Yes, you have changed in your appearance but you look beautiful. There is not a male alive who wouldn't want you as their mate."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru was saying, but she couldn't bring herself to believe what he was saying to her. She looked at the Youkai Lord with sad eyes, her eyes were red from so much crying, "Does that include you Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru was shocked, he didn't expect that question from her. He looked away from her at that moment. _'How can I tell her how I feel when I can't even court her properly? She deserves more than what I can ever give her in this form.'_

Kagome noticed when Sesshoumaru turned away from her. It was as she thought, "So, now I know where I stand with you. I guess I have been living in a dream, where what we discussed in that dream world was true in the real world. To think that I thought you were interested in me. I'm such a fool."

Kagome never noticed that she was talking out loud. She thought that she was not speaking as she sat there thinking about her miserable life.

Sesshoumaru heard his miko's words and knew that he had to say something. They both knew that their dream world was real in a sense. It wasn't on this plane of existence but what they did and said to each other in that world was real. "Miko you are no fool. What I said to you in our dream world holds merit. But I cannot act on my feelings because of this curse. I cannot even court you properly."

Kagome turned heated eyes toward Sesshoumaru as she stated in a deadly voice, "Sesshoumaru you baka!" Sesshoumaru growled when he heard what his miko was yelling at him about and an answering growl was heard from his miko. He was about to yell at her, when she continued, "What do you mean you can't court me properly? You have been courting me properly for a while now. I have your mark on my neck. You have provided me with food, the heart and liver of your kill, so it could give me strength.

"You have protected me against my enemies, Inuyasha, Naraku's minions, and anyone else who wanted to kill me. You protect me now by bringing me here when I was hurt so Inuyasha wouldn't get his hands on me and force me to be his mate. So, your size doesn't matter because you are doing just fine the way you are.

"Don't you know that I love you no matter what? If we can't find a way to break this spell, then I will find a spell that will shrink me down to your size so we can be together."

Sesshoumaru was in total shock, he never thought about the way he was acting with his female. She did have a point. He did protect her when he needed to protect her. The only times she has gotten hurt was when she asked to take care of the situation by herself. But he was always there for her, even when she lost control of her powers.

But she said something that didn't sit well with him. "Your words hold truth miko, but I will never allow you to shrink down to my size just so you can be with me. You deserve so much more than that. I want only the best for you and I don't want to depend on anyone for protection. Until I find the spell or break this curse I can never mate you. I want our first time together to be in the waking world and right now I cannot take you as my mate.

"But once I am back to normal my miko, I will take you as my mate. I will never mate anyone else other than you."

Kagome was listening to what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. She was frozen in shock while Sesshoumaru spoke his peace but his last statement caught her by surprise. _'So our time together in the dream realm was real. He was speaking from his heart in our dreams together. But he said that he was going to take me as his mate? Finally, Sesshoumaru has opened his heart enough for me to know what he really wants.'_

Kagome smiled a beautiful smile when she grabbed Sesshoumaru and brought him closer to her chest. She hugged him close to her, "Sesshoumaru that is all I wanted to hear. I needed to know that you cared for me. I will wait until the end of time for you to become normal so we can mate. I don't want anyone else in my life but you."

Sesshoumaru was please, very pleased with what his little miko was saying to him. His beast was equally happy that she has consented to be his mate. The fact that she is willing to wait, until he was his normal size once more for them to mate, proved her undying loyalty to him.

Sesshoumaru felt his body lifted off her knee as he was brought closer to her naked skin. He hugged his miko as best he could then his beast expressed his love and desire for her by growling softly.

He heard an answering growl from his female as they stayed like that for a while.

When Kagome came down from her emotional high she pulled Sesshoumaru away from her chest then she reached down and kissed him on his cheek and licked the side of his neck in affection. She then placed Sesshoumaru back on her knee as they continued to talk about different things.

Sesshoumaru had something on his mind and he thought it would be the perfect time to address his issue, "Miko, this one has a question for you."

Kagome turned her perfect blue eyes towards him, when he had her undivided attention he continued, "What you said, to the last wolf from the alpha packs, is it true?"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows together. She said a lot of things to those fools, that she didn't know exactly what he was asking, "I'm sorry Sesshoumaru but can you be a little more explicit? I said many things to those fools so I have no idea what you are referring to."

Sesshoumaru puffed out his chest then stated, "I am talking about, miko, the fact that you blatantly stated that you were courting a god and that you preferred Inu's to ookami."

Kagome flushed red, she forgot that she said that to the ookami idiot. "Yes, I did say that and I meant it. Why would I settle for a weakling like him when I have you that is perfect in every way? I also prefer Inu's to ookami, always have."

Sesshoumaru puffed up his chest as his female confirmed what he heard her say. To see the spirit in her eyes and the forcefulness in which she said that she preferred Inu's made him proud. Then he heard, "Come on Sesshoumaru, the evening meal should be about ready and I want to get something to eat."

With that, they both got up and walked out of the water. Once they were both presentable they walked back to the front of the cave where the rest of the pack was waiting for them.

Sango looks up when she hears some noise. She was surprised to see Kagome walking to the front of the cave with Sesshoumaru sitting on her shoulder. She wandered where he has been all this time because they have not seen him since they got here. He wasn't with Kagome when she was treating her wounds.

She shook her head, he was so small that he could go anywhere and no one would notice him. But the fact was that he was with Kagome and it looked like he has been with her this whole time.

Shippou upon seeing that his mother was up and about, knew that Sesshoumaru was with her. He saw her sit down opposite the group when he saw Sesshoumaru jump from his mother's shoulder to sit next to her.

Shippou got up from his spot and went to get his alpha's meal. When he had it in his hands he made his way over to Sesshoumaru. He stopped a short distance away as he kneeled and bared his neck to his alpha in submission.

Sesshoumaru noticed when Shippou was approaching him and his miko. He observed when the kit stopped and then bared his throat to him in submission, he gave a gentle nod to allow the kit to approach. When he was near him he presented him with the heart and liver of his kill which was his right to have. He then turned and bowed deeply to his mother in respect, got up, and went back to the others.

Kagome noticed all the changes her kit has made. He is responding properly like a pack member. She was proud of the way he has turned out but still the pain in her heart was great. She will miss him no matter what, but she knew that Sesshoumaru would take very good care of the kit. He will make sure that nothing happened to him.

Then Kagome turned her attention to the other person making her way over to them. It was Rin and she had a bowl of something in her hands.

Both Sesshoumaru and Kagome were surprised when she came close to them, stopped, kneeled, and bared her neck in submission. Kagome's eyebrow went up when she looked at Sesshoumaru and then she looked towards her pack. She noticed that Sango was watching what Rin was doing and she had the biggest smile on her face.

Kagome's heart warmed, Sango must have taken the time to teach Rin how to properly approach the alpha's of a pack. She turned her attention back to Rin while she observed Sesshoumaru nodding for her to come closer.

-oOo-

Rin was very excited, Sango has been teaching her how to cook, now it was her chance to see how her mother liked her cooking. Sango told her what she needed to do when she approached her Lord. When she asked why she had to behave in this manner she was told that it was the way to show respect to their alpha.

Rin became upset stating, "You mean that Rin has been disrespectful to Lord Sesshoumaru all this time."

Rin was almost in tears when Sango quickly explained, "No Rin you have not shown disrespect to Lord Sesshoumaru. It is permitted for little ones like you to behave the way that you have been behaving. You are forgiven and can go near the alphas any time you want because it is a forgiven behavior. But you are getting older and now is the time to teach you the right way to do things. We start off slow and we can continue to teach you as we go."

Rin calmed down when she continued listen to Sango. She was happy to hear that she has not done anything to dishonor her Lord.

When Sango noticed that Rin was not upset anymore she got Kagome's food and put it in a bowl for her. She handed it to Rin saying, "Now remember everything we have told you and go take Kagome her food."

Rin smiled as she got up and then grabbed the bowl. She was careful with the bowl as she slowly walked over to where the alphas were located. When she was close enough she stopped, kneeled barring her throat to her Lord, and waited for him to nod so she come closer.

She smiled when she saw her Lord give her a gentle nod, she got up and then approached her alphas. She went towards Kagome and said, "Mama I have brought your food for you." She then put the bowl down on the ground, she sat up and waited.

Kagome smiled, then she asked, "Did you help Sango make the meal tonight?"

Rin gave a big toothy smile and said in an excited voice, "Oh yes, she let me help her cook this evening. I do hope that you like it."

Kagome picked up her bowl and smelled the wonderful aroma, she then took a bite of her meal. The food tasted wonderful, she turned her attention to the little girl who was waiting with bated breath to see if it was good, "You did a good job Rin, it tastes wonderful."

Rin gave a squeal of happiness, when she got up and ran back to Sango yelling, "Sango! Mama liked the food!"

Kagome gave a chuckle then turned her attention to Sesshoumaru. She noticed that he was amused by what Rin did. "I must thank Sango for teaching her."

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his miko and stated, "She did well. Though running away screaming is not proper behavior but it is easily overlooked for a young pup. The pups can approach the alphas without proper respect shown because they are young, but as they grow the pack will take it upon themselves to teach the pups the proper way to behave in a pack. This gives the pup a chance to grow and learn where they belong in the pack."

Kagome was listening to what Sesshoumaru was saying and agreed with him. Sango took it upon herself to teach Rin proper manners when approaching the alphas. She will thank her later for her efforts.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru sat there and ate their meal. It was good and filling as they both felt better.

Kagome noticed when Sesshoumaru left the cave and went outside. She thought that he was taking care of business, so it would be the perfect opportunity to go find the leaf spirit and ask him some questions. She grabbed her bow and quiver and started to leave. Before she walked outside she said over her shoulder, "Sango I'm going for a walk. I will be back shortly."

Sango nodded her understanding of her order as they saw her leave the cave. They knew that she was safe in this place. There was no way for Inuyasha to get through the barrier so they didn't worry.

-oOo-

Kagome walked out of the cave and headed straight into the forest, she was on a mission to find Konokarei. She had some questions that he might be able to answer for her. She walked through the forest until she reached the area where the eldest of the trees lived. She looked around the area and gently called out, "Konokarei? Are you here?"

Kagome waited but there was no answer to her call, "Konokarei?"

Just then Kagome heard the trees in the area answer her, _**"Lady miko, Konokarei is not here. We have no idea when he will return."**_

Kagome was disappointed that he was not here. _"I thank you guardians of this forest. When he returns can you please inform him that I need to speak to him. And for him to seek me out, please."_

" _ **We will let him know of your desires Lady Miko."**_ The trees responded in a gentle voice.

Kagome sighed, she wanted to talk to Konokarei, but now she must wait until she reached her mother to get answers. She looked up to the sky but noticed that it was blocked by the trees branches.

Kagome was about to leave the area when she noticed that the branches were moving above her. She looked up again to see that the branches moved out of the way to give her a clear view of the evening stars.

A small smile could be seen on Kagome's face as she looked up at the evening sky. It was so beautiful, she always loved to sit and stare at the night stars. She closed her eyes, cleared her mind, and just felt the lands around her.

This place was full of life, she could hear the animals around the area, feel the water moving down the stream not too far away from her. She could hear the heartbeat of the lands and her whole body relaxed.

At that moment, the forest became very quiet as Kagome's body started to glow. The rays from the moons light were hitting her body as it seemed to increase her powers. Her body was glowing a golden color, the star on her forehead was glowing red, her hair was moving on its own as silver highlights were being put in her hair.

The area where the light of the moon was touching the ground started to glow as well, as power was being put back into the earth. The forest around Kagome started to react to her powers as the dying trees got a second chance at life and got stronger. New flowers grew, that have not been seen in a long time in this area, and the forest became denser.

But there was someone else who was watching the miko in the clearing, he was in awe with what was happening in the area as her powers grew even more. He had no idea what was going on as he watched his miko from the tree branch.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru returned from taking care of business and noticed that his miko's scent was heading into the forest. He decided to follow to see what she was doing. Imagine his surprise when he arrived and saw his miko glowing. He has never seen her do this before and he had no idea what was happening to her.

Yes, he knew that she was powerful but this is beyond anything he ever expected. He looked up and noticed that the trees in the area moved their branches back to allow the moon's rays to hit the ground. It formed a perfect circle around his miko and it looked like the moon was giving her some of its power. He was wondering how this could happen when he decided to move towards her.

But before he could even lift off the branch he heard, "It would not be wise to get near the little miko right now Sesshoumaru. Until the moon is done with the Kami's commands it will not be safe."

Sesshoumaru turned when he saw Konokarei standing there next to him. "What is happening to my miko? Why is she glowing like that?"

Konokarei looked at the tiny Lord, his eyebrow raised in wonder, he did not miss the fact that Sesshoumaru has just claimed the little miko as his, "She is receiving the rest of her powers, powers that will be needed to defeat Naraku. You, Sesshoumaru, will need to protect the little miko until she has finished her task. Once Naraku is dead then her life is her own and she can do anything her hearts desires.

"I know for a fact that her heart has changed since the last time I saw her. You have both come to an agreement I take it."

Sesshoumaru was still staring at his miko and responded, "Yes, she has accepted my suit and will wait until this curse is removed to become my mate. I tried to give her the option of looking for another male but she will have no one else."

Konokarei understood, "Her heart is great and pure, these lands need its miko. Please take good care of her Sesshoumaru. I'm afraid that what is coming is not going to be easy for her to take. Your brother is a foul creature and his heart is tainted worse than Naraku's. He has finally realized what a treasure he had in his hands and let it go for a dead corpse.

"He will do anything to get his hands on the little miko. You have to make sure that he does not get her, because if he does then the balance of power will be forever changed, and the world as you and I know it, will be destroyed"

Sesshoumaru heard Konokarei warning, when he mentioned his brother that caught him by surprise. He was wondering what his brother was planning for his little miko, "Do not worry Konokarei I will make sure that I protect the miko against my half-brother. I do not trust him."

Konokarei smiled as he turned his attention back to the little miko. He knew that she was looking for him but it was not time for him to come and see them both. But at that moment the Kami's thought it best to bestow upon the miko the rest of her powers so she could deal with Naraku. He will be the biggest foe that these two must fight.

He knew that Sesshoumaru's brother will be in the final battle but he will become an enemy by the end of it. He was hoping that everything will work itself out and he could finally see the little miko happy once more.

Konokarei noticed when the power transfer was finally done, he turned his attention to Sesshoumaru and stated, "It is now safe for you to approach your miko Sesshoumaru. Please remember what I said about protecting her from your brother."

Sesshoumaru looked up and nodded his understanding of what Konokarei stated to him. Forming his youki cloud under his feet, he lifted off the branch he was on, and floated over to his miko.

Kagome was coming out of her fog like dream. She felt rejuvenated while she looked up at the night sky and smiled. She lowered her head and closed her eyes, she just stood there and felt everything around her. It was the most amazing thing she has ever felt. She felt alive with power as the earth itself was pulsing thru her veins.

Then she looked up and spotted Sesshoumaru there hovering right in front of her eyes. She gave him a warm smile, then she reached up, grabbing him around his waist, she pulled him closer to her chest.

Kagome then turned, wanting to just have some time alone with Sesshoumaru, she went and sat down by one of the old trees and relaxed. She had Sesshoumaru cuddled between her breasts while she leaned back and closed her eyes.

Sesshoumaru was surprised by his miko's action. He was pulled into her chest while he was placed between her mounds. His beast was growling in happiness to be in such a wonderful area.

He looked up and noticed that his miko was resting against a tree with her eyes closed. Her aura was glowing in happiness. He has never seen her this happy before, then he settled down and rested against her chest.

They both fell asleep there, in the peaceful clearing. You could see the thumb nail of the moon as it peeked out over the lands from above. There was not much light but it was still beautiful to see.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru insisted that his miko rest for a couple of days before they headed back toward Edo. "But Sesshoumaru I'm feeling fine. We don't need to stay here anymore and we can continue on our journey."

Sesshoumaru huffed, his miko was back to being stubborn once more, "Miko do you trust me?"

Kagome was blown away by her own words being returned to her. She looked away from the Youkai Lord and said in a low voice, "Yes, Sesshoumaru, I do trust you like no other."

Sesshoumaru felt proud that his female trusted him so much, "Then we shall stay here for a couple of days to let you rest. I can feel that you are still tired and I will not risk you getting attacked by another male. Remember miko that Inuyasha is still out there and he is determined to make you submit to him."

He saw the anger in her eyes when she stated in a heated voice, "There is no way that I will ever submit to that ass. Now he wants me after he chose a dead woman to be his mate. I will not take second place to anyone."

Sesshoumaru growled and playfully nipped her ear, showing his appreciation for her statement. Kagome giggled when she felt his nip, it tickled. He got his way and they stayed put for a couple of days to allow his miko to fully rest and recuperate.

On the third day Kagome was itching to get going. She rested enough and now it was time to leave. The group was getting ready to head out. They were cleaning up the cave before they left and Jaken was staying out of the way.

Kagome had enough of the loud mouth kappa and sealed his mouth shut for the day. She was hoping that he would learn his lesson, because if he said another derogatory thing towards Rin, she will purify him to hell. She has given him plenty of warnings so far. Plus, she didn't care what Sesshoumaru would say if she did get rid of the nasty kappa.

Finally, the group was ready as they headed out going back towards Edo. During their trip back, Jaken learned to keep his mouth shut with one threat from Sesshoumaru. The group had an easy trip going back as all Youkai would give them a wide birth to travel thru.

Every time Kagome felt that a Youkai was approaching her group she would flair her aura and they would think twice about approaching their group.

Sango and Miroku noticed the changes in Kagome. She has become more powerful and her hair now had silver highlights going through it. They were wondering how she got them but she never mentioned how she came to have them. They both noticed that Sesshoumaru was staying close to Kagome. He didn't leave her side not even when they were traveling back towards Edo. They thought this strange since he and Shippou would usually leave the group to go train but not this time.

They enjoyed the easy pace in which they traveled. When it got too hot Kagome would find a place with shade and water so they could relax for a portion of the day.

Rin loved it, she would go and play down by the water with Kagome and Sesshoumaru usually watching her. They knew that Kagome would not let Rin out of her sight no matter what. The only time she would leave the little girl was when they were about to enter a battle and then it was up to the pack to protect her.

Finally, after about four days of traveling the group made it back to Edo. They were making their final approach when Kagome started to feel that something was off in the area. She sent her aura out to see if she could find what was wrong. She immediately noticed that the barrier around the village was even stronger than before.

Kagome started to think on why the barrier was stronger now, then she concluded that Kaede was protecting the village against something that was out in this forest. She still couldn't find what was off, she then whispers, so no one could hear, "Sesshoumaru? Do you feel something off in this area?"

Sesshoumaru has been feeling the same thing as his miko. He had let his Jyaki out to see if he could find what was wrong in this area. But unfortunately for him he could not. He stuck his nose up and started to sniff the area. He caught the vague scent of his brother and now knew what was wrong. He was here and waiting for them.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his miko when he heard her question, "Yes miko, it appears that my idiot brother is in the area and he has been waiting for us to return. He is the reason why the old one has put up a much stronger barrier around this area. Right now, he is using black magic to hide his location from us so we must proceed with caution."

Kagome understood what Sesshoumaru was saying. She didn't like it one bit that Inuyasha was in the area and waiting for her. She just wished that he would leave her alone. She didn't want him anymore. She has told him this repeatedly and still he comes after her. It was not going to be a very happy meeting if he decided to attack her again.

They continued to travel when they finally made it to the village. The group of friends went to find Kaede to see if she has heard anything of interest. They found her sitting in front of her hut as they all approached.

Kaede seeing that Kagome and her group were back, stood upon their approach and greeted, "Welcome back Kagome, I'm glad to see all of you in good health." Then she noticed all the changes that Kagome has undergone. She was wondering what was happening to her because her hair now had red and silver highlights to it.

Kagome smiled at the old one that she thought of as her grandmother, "I'm glad to be back Kaede-baachan, do you have any news for me?"

Kaede nodded yes, then she turned her eye towards the Youkai Lord that was sitting on Kagome's shoulder, "I greet you Lord Sesshoumaru, welcome back to our humble village."

Sesshoumaru bowed his head in acknowledgement of the greeting, he stayed where he was, as his miko moved into the hut along with everyone else. They all sat around the fire while Kaede handed everyone some tea to drink. "I'm glad that you are back Kagome, Inuyasha showed up here about 4 days ago, and has been hiding in the forest. He has learned to use a dark spell to hide his location. I do believe that sister Kikyou was the one to show him how to do this."

The group agreed with what Kaede was saying and continued to brief them.

"I will not let him near the village. He has already proved that he cannot be trusted. He has attacked several of the village men that came near him for no reason." Kaede noticed the concerned looks that the pack was giving her and she was worried, "What are your plans now that you are back here? Are there anymore jewel shards that you still need to find?" Kaede sat back as she waited for Kagome to answer her questions.

Kagome heard what Kaede was saying to her. She didn't like that Inuyasha was acting this way. She was positive that he was going to try something to get to her. She just hoped that she could handle what he was going to do. "There are no more jewel shards for us to find. It is now up to Naraku. It is between him and us for the final battle. We will wait here until he decides to come out of hiding. But before the final battle I need to go home. There are some questions that I need to ask my mother."

Kaede understood the little miko when she saw her get up and say her farewells to everyone. She walked out of her hut with the Youkai Lord on her shoulder, she was going home. She just hoped that Inuyasha didn't do anything that he would regret.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was sitting in a tree thinking. It was not one of his strong suits but he didn't have anything else to do. He couldn't go to the village because Kaede placed a powerful barrier around the area to make sure he didn't go anywhere near the village.

It was not his fault that those villagers got in his way when he was angry and throwing a temper tantrum. They should know by now that they should keep their distance from him when he is that way.

He has been back here for four days now and he was getting tired of waiting for the wench to return, after all it took him only 3 days to get from her location to here. He was positive that she would return here to the village because there were no more shards to be found. It was the only reason he could come up with on why they went after Koga for his shards.

He was positive that his no-good brother had a hand in why they weren't back yet. They probably rested in that barrier of his until the wench fully recovered her strength and then set out. But still it shouldn't have taken them this long to get back here. He knew that they could travel faster than most when pushed.

He was still sitting in his tree brooding when he caught the scent of something in the wind. It was a scent that he will never forget. He got up and jumped from his tree, heading in the direction that the scent was coming from.

He jumped high into a tree to concealed his location from the group that was approaching the village. There over the hill he saw his miko coming into view with his pack. They were moving slower than usual and they still had his brother's pack traveling with them.

This did not sit well with him because it meant that his half-brother was still with the wench, and sure enough he noticed Sesshoumaru sitting on the wench's shoulder.

He noticed when Kagome stopped and was looking around the area. He hid further into the canopy to make sure that she didn't find him. He was happy when she continued to walk towards the village. His plan was working. He remembered the things that Kikyou taught him about how to put up a barrier that would hide his aura from those in the area. It came in handy in situations like this.

Now he just had to implement his plan. He turned while he made his way back towards the well. He has already taken down the barrier that was around the well, it wasn't easy to do but he remembered everything that Kikyou taught him and he could bring it down.

But he could not bring down the barrier around the village, though he did manage to make a hole to allow him to enter the village whenever he wanted. It was his turn to make her pay for taking away his pack. He will take away the one thing that she valued most in her life… her way home.

Once he took that away from her she will be left defenseless and he will be able to make her submit to him no matter what. She will not be able to fight him and he will mate her on the spot. His brother will not have a claim on her and she will be his mate. He will gather his pack up again and set out to find Naraku. It was now time that they finished the jewel so he could make his wish.

He couldn't wait to wish Kikyou back to life, and then he will have everything that he ever wanted. His Kikyou back and the wench to bare him pups. He landed near the well and got ready, he knew that the wench would be going home, it was just a matter of time.

He will wait there until the wench was ready, he never understood why she always wanted to go to that place. It was noisy and smelly, there was nothing interesting there for her to do and that school of hers was a waste of time, in his opinion.

He stuck his nose up as he scented the air. The bitch was coming towards the well just like he knew she would. He waited there until she came into the clearing and the look on her face was priceless. "So, you finally decided to come back to the village. I'm glad that you came to submit to your alpha."

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Finally, Sesshoumaru has confessed his love for his miko and has told her of his plans to mate her. This is all Kagome wanted from the youkai lord and she is happy that he does hold feelings for her. As you can see Inuyasha plan to get Kagome will devastate her and will leave her defenseless.

Happy Labor day everyone. I thought to give you a treat and update this story. Have a wonderful day and I will see you in the next chapter.

In the next chapter, Inuyasha goes through with his plans to destroy the well. But he never thought that Sesshoumaru would defend Kagome when she was in trouble. The final battle is at hand as the group gets ready for it.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Kagome was making her way to the well. She could feel that something was not right in the area. The forest was too quiet for her liking while she carefully picked her way through the underbrush.

Sesshoumaru was sitting on Kagome's shoulder and he too was on alert. He didn't know what his brother had planned but he was sure that it was not good. His miko was slowly walking through the forest. He could tell that she was being cautious as she walked.

Kagome was on high alert. She could not let Inuyasha win no matter what, so she decided to ask for help, _"Trees of the forest, can you tell me if you can detect a hanyou nearby? He is dressed in red and has white puppy ears on top of his head."_

The trees heard the miko's request as the branches started to move on their own. _**"Lady Miko the one you seek is by the bone eaters well."**_

Kagome paled when she heard that, if he was by the well then that means that the barrier was down. She had no idea how he took it down but this was not good. She took off running at full speed, needing to get to the well as fast as possible.

Sesshoumaru had no idea what was going on with his female. She was now running and he didn't know why. He held on tight to make sure he didn't fall off as she broke through the forest brush and into the clearing where the well was located. He was surprised to see his brother there waiting for them.

Kagome came to a stop at the edge of the clearing, while she pulled her sword from her hair. She knew this was going to be a big battle. She needed to get him away from the well before something happened to it.

"What do you want here Inuyasha? I thought I told you that I didn't want to see you ever again." Kagome said with conviction in her voice.

Inuyasha smirked, "Like I would ever listen to a weak wench like you."

Kagome was losing her temper, "If I'm so weak then why do you want me to submit to you as alpha? An alpha would never pick a weak female no matter what."

Inuyasha growled, the bitch was getting on his last nerves, "Bitch, you will submit to me as alpha and then I will mate you on the spot. When that is done, we will gather the pack and we will head out and look for Naraku. We need to complete the jewel so I can have my wish."

"There is no way that I will ever submit to you and you're not getting the jewel. I will not allow you to wish that bitch back to life. She is where she needs to be… in the afterlife." said Kagome.

Inuyasha growled, he cracked his knuckles and his claws grew in length, then he attacked, "Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

Blades of energy came out of his claws as it went towards Kagome.

Kagome stood tall and got ready for the attack. She swung her sword across her body as a blast of wind came out and sent the attack back towards Inuyasha.

Inuyasha was hard pressed to get out of the way of his own attack, then he quickly jumped out of the way and landed in a crouch position. He removed his sword from its sheath but it didn't transform. It was still worthless to him. He put it back when he got another idea.

He faced off against Kagome and attacked again. This time he used his claws, trying to slash her body. He came in hard and fast while he slashed, he missed his intended target but was hit with an attack from the wench.

Kagome was ready and went on the offensive. She attacked with everything she had, she was making quick work of Inuyasha haori. By the time she stopped, his haori was all in pieces, and he was a bloody mess with wounds all over his upper half.

Kagome was ready, she turned and defended herself against another attack from Inuyasha. She dodged, then quickly turned and sent an attack from her sword that caught the Inu hanyou in the chest and sent him flying. He landed hard on the ground, the breath was knocked out of him and he was bleeding profusely.

Slowly he got up from the ground, he wiped away the blood from his eyes. It was time, he jumped from where he stood and went into the well, landing at the bottom. He could no longer go thru the well and that pissed him off.

He had a cure for that, if he could no longer go to her era then she was staying here forever. Getting his feet under him, he bent down and jumped, he came out of the well like a rocket. He turned his body and took advantage of his bloody form, yelling, "Blades of Blood!"

Red blades of energy came out of his claws as the attack went towards the well. Kagome screamed, "NO!" as the attack hit full force and started to destroy the well from the inside out.

Inuyasha continued to attack the well until it finally caved in on itself never to allow anyone to pass thru it again.

Kagome saw her only way home destroyed. She tried to get him away from the well but he always stayed close to it and now she knew why. She collapsed to her knees. She was inconsolable while she continued to cry heart felt sobs.

Sesshoumaru saw what the half breed did and he was fit to be tied. His female was in anguish over losing her only way home. She would not even respond to him when he tried to get her attention.

Sesshoumaru looked up and saw his brother coming after his miko. Now he knew why he destroyed the well. He knew that if he destroyed it Kagome would not be able to fight against him and he would be able to take her as a mate.

Well he was not about to give up his claim on his miko and jumped from her shoulder to land right in front of her. He then took out Tenseiga, channeling his power into the sword it pulsed with power, then he took his sword and stuck it in the ground right in front of him. A barrier formed around his little miko to protect her against the hanyou. Then he called for the kit to come to his aid. He needed someone to be with her while he took care of his brother. He was going to teach him a lesson he won't soon forget.

-oOo-

Back at the village Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara came out of Kaede's hut when they heard the battle in the distance. They knew it had to be Inuyasha attacking Kagome and Sesshoumaru. They were about to take off towards the battle when Shippou went stiff.

Shippou was wondering what was going on. He was worried about his mother when his Lord sent him a message. He turned to the others and said, "Stay here, I'll be back." He jumped from the ground as he burst into fire and was gone.

Both Sango and Miroku looked at each other and wondered what was going on. But they stayed put because they knew that it was Sesshoumaru that gave that order. In the meantime, Sango went back into the hut, while she and Kaede got ready to treat any wounds from that battle.

Shippou arrived in a matter of seconds and looked to see what was going on. He saw Inuyasha attacking a barrier and he was cursing with each attack he made. Then he heard, _'Kit… quickly enter the barrier.'_

Shippou looked at the barrier and noticed that a hole opened for him. He quickly entered and went to his mother. He was worried about her when he heard, "Kit stay with your mother, no matter what happens protect her with your life and do not let the hanyou anywhere near her."

Shippou nodded his understanding of his alpha's orders, he made his way over to his mother and held her in his arms. She was crying into his chest and he couldn't calm her down. The only thing he could do was hold her while he looked around.

His eyes went wide when he noticed that the well was destroyed. _'No wonder mama is so upset. Inuyasha must have destroyed the well as punishment for her leaving him.'_

He watched with blood red eyes when his alpha left the protection of the barrier to go deal with his brother.

Once Sesshoumaru knew that his miko would be well protected it was time to deal with the worm. He walked out of his barrier, determination was filling his eyes while they were turning a deep red in color and went after his brother.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was one pissed off hanyou. Imagine his surprise when he was about to take his miko as a mate and he was stopped by a barrier. His brother was preventing him from getting to his female. His eyes turned red then he attacked the barrier in anger. No matter how hard he tried he could not bring this barrier down.

This was his one chance to get Kagome to be his mate because she would not fight him when he took her. She was too devastated to even think about what he was going to do to her. But now his plans were ruined because of his damn brother.

He was pushed back by the barrier once more when he looked up. He saw his brother coming out of the barrier and it was his chance to kill him. He had enough of his elder brother taking what was his. He snarled and went after him with his claws drawn.

He was about to strike his brother when he was hit with his brother's whip. He went sailing through the air, hitting a tree hard, the breath was knocked out of him and he fell to the ground. He could feel his brothers poison burning its way into his skin when he groaned and rolled over. Slowly he put his arms under his body and forces himself back up to his feet.

He looked up and took a step back in fright at what he saw. He had no idea how this could possibly happen.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru stepped out of the barrier when he knew that his female was well protected. He trusted the kit to take care of his mother and he knew that he would not let Inuyasha anywhere near her. He floated up into the air and faced off with the hanyou. He saw his brother coming to attack him, his whip came out of his fingers and it went towards its target.

This attack hit home, hitting the half breed in the chest, he went flying to hit a tree. At that moment, his beast took control and he changed into his true form. Then the necklace on his neck started to glow as Maru grew larger in size. He was not his normal size but he was larger than any Inu around. He towered over the hanyou as he growled viciously at him.

Inuyasha didn't know what to do. His brother has transformed into his true form and his blood red eyes were looking straight at him. He couldn't use his sword so the only thing he had was his own claws to fight him. He snarled and attacked. He released attack after attack and still he could not hit his brother.

But that could not be said about Sesshoumaru's attacks. His attacks hit the hanyou dead on and he was bleeding profusely. Sesshoumaru's claws found their mark and they were extracting vengeance for attacking his miko. He was defending her honor and he was about to kill the bastard.

Sesshoumaru hit Inuyasha once more, his claws catching him on his side. Ripping Inuyasha's side open, the hanyou hit another tree and went down. Finally, he passed out on the ground from his failed attempt to get Kagome.

Then Maru threw his head back and howled his victory. He turned his attention to his miko and walked back to his mate. She was still crying in the kits arms, he transformed back into his ningen form to deal with his little mate.

Sesshoumaru passed through his barrier and went to his miko. She was still devastated, then he looked up to the kit and stated, "We must take her back to the elder miko. Only she can give her something to calm her down."

Shippou understood, he grabbed his mother and stood up. Sesshoumaru went and pulled his sword from the ground as the barrier went down so they could leave.

Shippou looked off to the side and noticed that Inuyasha was unconscious on the ground. He was not moving and he could smell his blood. He knew that Sesshoumaru hurt his brother for hurting Kagome but he knew enough not to kill the idiot. He must know that he was needed in the final battle with Naraku, otherwise he knew he would have killed his brother.

Shippou took off, he was going back to the village with his mother in his arms and his alpha was sitting near his mother's neck. He could hear Sesshoumaru growling gently trying to calm her down but nothing seemed to work for his mother.

He made it back to Kaede's hut in record time, when he enters the hut everyone was there waiting for him.

Kaede noticed that Kagome's was crying, she quickly got Shippou to put his mother down on the futon that they have made up. She asked for some information and Shippou quickly explained what happened.

Kaede quickly got a tea prepared for Kagome and when it was done it was given to her. Kagome drank the tea and soon she was asleep on the futon. While the females were taking care of Kagome the males of the pack went back to where the well was located.

Shippou and Miroku went to see if they could find Inuyasha. They wanted to make sure that he was not going to come to the village after Kagome. When they arrived at the well area, they noticed that he was gone. Shippou found his scent and it led deeper into the forest. They were satisfied that he was not going to come back to the village for now. But to make sure that he didn't Miroku fortified the barrier, he noticed that the barrier was weakened by someone. He had no idea how Inuyasha did this but it was not good, the hanyou should not have the power to remove or weaken Kaede's barrier like this. He has his suspicions on how he did this but he couldn't prove it, nonetheless he reinforced the barrier to protect Kagome.

They then turned and went back to the village. They needed to make sure that Kagome was all right. Shippou went hunting for the pack, he knew they were going to be staying here for a while.

Once the guys left Sango and Kaede took care of Kagome. They made sure that she was comfortable and then left her to rest.

Sango was worried about Kagome, she had no idea what this could have done to her mental state, "Kaede do you think that Kagome is going to be all right?"

Kaede thought about that question, it was hard to tell what Kagome's mental state was going to be, "She must get over a great deal of pain. Her only way home was taken away from her and she sounded like she really needed to talk to her mother. I just hope that she can get over it or when Naraku attacks she will not be strong enough to battle that hanyou."

Sango agreed with her, "Yes, that is what Inuyasha wanted, he wanted her devastated so he could mate her but he never counted on Lord Sesshoumaru defending her when she was weak." Both females then moved off to get the evening meal going so they could eat.

No one ever noticed that Sesshoumaru was with his miko, once they were gone he settled himself down on her neck. He will not leave her side when she was this weak while he fell asleep on her neck. At that moment, the Tenseiga pulsed as it put a barrier around their bodies to protect them while they slept.

A little while later Sango went to check on Kagome and found that she was being protected by a barrier. This shocked her when she wondered where the barrier came from. It didn't hurt her it just prevented her from getting closer to Kagome. She sighed. It was going to be a long wait for Kagome to wake up. She just hoped that she woke up before Naraku attacked.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru woke up in their special place. He was back to his normal size when he got up off the ground and went looking for his female. He sniffed the air to see if he could find her, then he caught her scent in the wind and took off after her.

He found her in the middle of an opened field crying, he moved in fast and grabbed her in his arms. He sat down with his female and rocked her in his lap. He growled gently while he tried to calm his miko down, "Please don't cry Koi, I will always be here to protect and care for you."

Kagome heard what Sesshoumaru was saying to her, she hiccupped, "Why? Why did he have to take my only way home? What did I do that was so bad Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru continued to hold his miko, "You did nothing wrong Koi, it was his selfish nature that did this. He cannot take no for an answer and you leaving him because of his infidelity was his downfall. He thinks that he can get anything that he wants and that is not the case. If you want respect you must earn it."

Sesshoumaru sat for the longest time with his miko in his arms. He was rubbing her back to soothe her, while he rocked her body back and forth. She has finally stopped crying and was sitting there with her arms wrapped around his body, holding on to him tightly.

Sesshoumaru looked at his miko, concern was clearly seen in his eyes, "Koi… are you all right?"

Kagome breathed a heavy sigh, "Yes I'm fine. But I'm not ready to go back just yet, can we stay here for a little while? I don't think that I can deal with reality just yet. I love just being held by you and the comfort that you offer me."

Sesshoumaru growled and moved his miko closer to his body, "We can stay here for as long as you need my miko. But we must go back eventually. The final battle with Naraku is at hand and we must complete the jewel."

Kagome agreed with Sesshoumaru, then a thought came to her mind, and though she really didn't care she had to ask, "What happened to Inuyasha?"

Sesshoumaru growled at the mention of his half-brother, "He will not be a problem for a few days. No, I did not kill him for what he did, though I was very close to doing it. But I remembered what you said about him being needed in the final battle, so I just knocked him unconscious before we left the well area."

Kagome understood what Sesshoumaru was saying. Inuyasha was needed in the final battle and she must deal with the hanyou once she went back to the real world. But in the meantime, she was perfectly happy just being held by the person that she loved. She snuggled deeper into his arms and finally fell asleep.

Sesshoumaru looked down and noticed that his little miko has finally fallen asleep. She was resting comfortably and he was happy. Now all he had to do was be there for her as she worked through her upset at not being able to go back home. His brother had much to answer for, to think that he would force a mating on her was ludicrous.

Sesshoumaru turned and laid down with his miko. He held on to her while they both rested. He knew that their time here was short so he will make the best of it.

-oOo-

Back in the waking world it has been three days since Kagome has fallen asleep. The pack was beginning to get worried that something was very wrong with Kagome. The tea that Kaede gave her should not have lasted this long and there was the fact that they have not seen Sesshoumaru during all this time.

The pack on several occasions had to go out and fight Youkai that wanted to break through their barrier. They posed no real threat to the pack as they quickly took care of the nuisance.

But all in the pack were getting worried that Kagome may never wake up. They were worried about Sesshoumaru as well since they have not seen him since they brought Kagome back to the village. Even Shippou was not able to pick up on his scent, but he told everyone that he could not pick up on his mother's scent either. The barrier around her body made it so that no one knew she was here in the village.

But Shippou did pick up on Inuyasha's scent when he would circle the village looking for his mother. On several occasions Shippou had gone out to confront the hanyou. Inuyasha would demand to know where Kagome was but Shippou would never tell him where his mother was located. "Haven't you done enough to my mother? Taking the corpse for a mate devastated my mother and now you want her back again? There is no way that I will tell you where she is located even if I knew. You lost your chance with her so leave her alone."

Inuyasha was not one to take orders lightly then attacked the kit. But he was in for a shock. Shippou was a lot more powerful than he gave him credit for and before he knew it he was on the ground bleeding from the wound that he received from Shippou.

To Inuyasha's amazement Shippou was not hurt at all. He was just standing there looking at him with hatred in his eyes.

Shippou couldn't believe that Inuyasha thought of him as weak, "Stupid half breed do you think that you can beat me in a fight? I'm not the small little kit that you once knew. I have matured into my adult form. Lord Sesshoumaru has been training me and I'm a lot more powerful than you. Now get out of here before I lose my patience with you and kill you for all the things you put my mother through."

In that instant Shippou flared his powers, then his body was surrounded by a bright blue fire. Inuyasha has never seen the like before. That fire was intense and Shippou was just standing there in the middle of it. The only time he has seen that fire was when he killed the last thunder brother and thought that Kagome was a ghost along with Shippou in her arms.

He got up off the ground and left the area. He will continue to look for the wench in the surrounding area. He knew that she was in the village, but somehow, they were shielding her from his senses. It didn't matter to him he will find her and when he did she will become his mate or he would kill her, as for his brother, his death will come by his hand, this he vowed.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru and Kagome were still in their own special little world where Sesshoumaru was in his normal form and he was very attentive to his miko's needs. Kagome was slowly getting over her shock of not being able to go home. She really didn't want to leave this place but she was sensing that something was about to happen in the waking world.

She kept on hearing the trees in the area giving her warnings that the arachnid she was fighting against was getting closer to the village. She sighed and turned her attention to her mate to be, "Sesshoumaru as much as I want to stay here in this place I'm afraid we need to go back. I sense that it is time for the final battle as the lands keep telling me that Naraku is coming closer to the village."

Sesshoumaru understood what his little miko was saying, "Then we shall go back to the waking world and deal with Naraku once and for all. When we finally defeat Naraku we can gather our packs and head back towards the west. I would love for you and your pack to come and live with me mate."

Kagome was shocked to hear what Sesshoumaru was saying, "You want me to go live with you as your mate?"

Sesshoumaru brought Kagome closer to his body, you could see the love he held for her shining brightly in his eyes, "Yes my mate. That is exactly what I am asking. Will you do me the honor of becoming my mate?"

Tears were forming in Kagome's eyes as she happily said, "YES!" and kissed her Lord with all the love in her heart. It was at this moment that both started to wake up in the real world.

Slowly Kagome opened her eyes, at first, they were blurred but when she blinked them they started to clear up. Her eyes came into focus and she noticed that she was in a hut. She turned her head and noticed that she was alone in the hut and that a barrier was around her body.

Kagome felt a weight on her neck. She reached up and felt that a small body was there. Her fingers were slowly moving over his body while she caressed her future mate. She growled low in her throat that Sesshoumaru responded to her growl. Slowly he started to move.

Sesshoumaru heard his female growl at him when he finally woke up from his slumber. He noticed that his body was being caressed by his female while he growled and licked her neck in affection.

Kagome sat up, still holding on to Sesshoumaru, she closed her eyes and tried to get her body under control. It has been several days that she has been laying in the same position and she was sore.

Kagome opened her eyes when she felt Sesshoumaru move, she pulled him away from her neck and kissed him on his cheek. She set him down on her knee and then she rubbed her face to fully wake up.

Sesshoumaru looked up at his miko and noticed how pale she was. She has not eaten in days and that was part of her problem. He cleared his throat and stated, "Miko, we need to get you some food. You will need your strength before Naraku gets here."

Kagome looked at her love and replied, "You're right Sesshoumaru, I do need to get something to eat but where did this barrier come from? I didn't put it up."

Sesshoumaru looked around and for the first time noticed the barrier around them. At that moment, he heard Tenseiga pulse as the barrier lowered. He looked up to his miko and stated, "Tenseiga must have known that we will need to be protected while we were asleep, so it put the barrier around us."

Then the pack came rushing into the hut when they all stopped in front of Kagome. Sango was happy to see her awake, "Kagome, how are you feeling? You have been asleep for 3 days and we were all worried about you."

Kagome looked up at Sango while she smiled and stated, "I'm fine Sango. But can you get me something to eat so I can get my strength back."

Sango agreed and hurried to get her food. Shippou in the meantime came in from outside, he had a bowl of food for his alpha. He came in and kneeled, submitting to his alpha and waits until he was told to approach. When he saw Sesshoumaru nod he approached and gave his alpha the liver and heart of his kills.

Sesshoumaru noticed the amount of food he was given when he eyed the kit. The kit eyes twinkled as a small smile could be seen, Sesshoumaru understood that he was given all this food so he could share his food with his miko. The kit was proving to be very observant of his interest in the miko. He let it go since he was not about to say anything to him.

Then Sesshoumaru noticed when the other female came in with food for his miko. She did everything she should to show her respect to her alpha as she handed her a bowl of stew. Once the food was given to them the pack left the hut to leave them alone to eat.

Sesshoumaru shared his food with his miko while he watched her eat the raw meat. It was a big turn on for him to see her eat like a Youkai. When they were both done eating, Kagome got up from her spot with Sesshoumaru on her shoulder, she grabbed her bag and then left the hut.

They were going to take a bath and when they walked out of the hut the pack noticed Kagome's bag. They knew where she was going and since Sesshoumaru was with her Sango did not offer to go with her.

Kagome arrived at the hot springs, she let her aura go around the area looking for any threats, especially Inuyasha. She decided to put up a barrier to make sure that Inuyasha did not come anywhere near her. It was a powerful barrier that will let no one get in to this area, then proceeded to take her bath. Sesshoumaru joined her in the water as they both talked about what they were going to do when Naraku came closer to the village.

Kagome quickly looked up as someone was trying to get thru her barrier. Her aura flared with power when a yelp was heard in the near distance. A vicious growl left her throat then her eyes were going red once more.

Sesshoumaru knew that his brother must be close for his miko to be acting this way. He noticed when she pulsed her aura as it went out over the lands, and then the yelp that came from the hanyou when he got purified by the barrier.

He turned his attention towards his miko when he growled and caressed her neck. That got his miko to calm down when her eyes returned to normal. This was interesting because her eyes were going red a lot easier now than they did before. He was wondering what was changing her but he had no idea. He must find out what is happening to his miko but first things first, they had to get through the battle with Naraku. Once that was done then they can concentrate on what was changing her.

They finally finished their bath and then they go back to the village. It was still in the middle of the day when Kagome gathered the pack together. "Naraku is on his way here. I want to move away from the village so Naraku can't attack it. I want Rin and Ah-Un to stay here with Kaede. That way I know that she is well protected.

"Miroku before we leave we will set up another barrier around the area in case Naraku sends one of his incarnations to capture Rin. I want it powerful enough to purify any Youkai coming to this village. At this moment in time I can't afford to let any Youkai get into this village. To those Youkai that do business with this village it will only prevent them from entering, any other Youkai it will kill."

The group was shocked; Kagome has never put up a barrier like this before. But they all understood why she was doing it. She wanted to protect Rin at all cost. "Shippou and Jaken will be coming with us. Once we get to an area that will make a good battle field we will start getting the area ready for the battle. I don't want to give Naraku the option of leaving the area if he is losing. This is the mother of all battles and to the victor will go the Tama."

Jaken was shocked to learn that he was going into battle. He thought for sure that he was going to be left behind to protect the ningen child. He didn't want a repeat of what happened when he was fighting against the wolves, he was being attacked and they almost killed him so he left the area and hid in the forest.

For the first time in his life he was scared shitless. He didn't want to go into battle with Naraku. So… he did another first… he volunteered, "I will stay with young Rin to make sure she stays safe here in the village."

Kagome turned towards the kappa and narrowed her eyes at him, "No, you will be coming with us. You have always complained about being left behind to guard Rin so now you get your chance to join your Lord in battle. This village will be well protected and Kaede will take care of Rin. She will make sure no one harms what is mine."

Jaken was at a loss for words. He was turning red from his anger and was about to open his mouth. But before he could say anything to the miko Sesshoumaru intervened, "Enough Jaken you have been given your orders and you will obey them. You will be going into battle against Naraku."

If it was possible for the kappa to turn any greener he did. He was not happy about going into battle, but for the moment the kappa was quiet and that's all the group wanted.

Kagome continued to outline her plan while the group listened. Sesshoumaru was impressed with his miko. It looked like she has been thinking about this for a long time. She thought about almost everything and the outcome as she continued to talk to the group.

Sesshoumaru added his opinion here and there on what they should do and Kagome agreed with his changes. He was after all a master tactician and he wasn't the killing perfection for nothing.

So, after discussing what they were going to do the pack got their things together. Kagome and Miroku put another barrier around the village to protect it and when that was done the pack left the village, they headed out of the village and deeper into the forest.

Kagome knew where she wanted to go and led the pack to an open field a few miles away from the village. She and the others agreed that this place would be the perfect place to meet up with Naraku, as they all got started setting up their traps for the arachnid.

Kagome and Miroku went around the area and put up sutras and ofuda's to trap Naraku and his incarnations. This was a battle to the death and it will end here on this field. The others continued to lay traps for Naraku's Youkai army. He always had an army of fodder Youkai that he would willingly sacrifice for his own evil plan.

Once the area was prepared, the pack settled down for the night. It was a quiet night since Rin was not with them. She would always be talking and made the camp lively. But with the little girl back at the village, it was very quiet. Even Jaken had nothing to say for once in his life.

One by one the pack drifted off to sleep while Kagome and Sesshoumaru watched over their camp. There was a barrier set up to protect them all but Kagome couldn't sleep so she was still awake thinking.

Then Kagome head shot up as she searched the area. Inuyasha was close by and he was making his way towards her camp. She pulsed her aura telling the Inu hanyou to go away or face her wrath.

Inuyasha felt the pulse of the wench's aura telling him to back off. He was not about to give up now. He thought that once she saw him she would become devastated because of what he did to the well. But he was wrong. The wench was not only telling him to leave but she sent an attack his way that almost purified him. He backed off, he will find another way to get to her. He moved off deeper into the forest but not that far away. They were out here for a reason and he was going to find out what that reason was.

The days passed and the group has been waiting for two days. This morning found Kagome and Sesshoumaru sitting on top of a hill as they both looked down and surveyed the area. They were both restless as they kept a silent vigil around the area.

Dawn was just a few minutes away when Kagome jumped from her perfect seat. She growled and sent an attack towards the fools that attacked her. This was the start of the battle as the rest of the pack came in to help her.

Kagome noticed that it was Kagura that was attacking her along with Kanna. She could see the regret in Kagura's eyes but she didn't have a choice. Naraku still held her heart and she had to fight or die. Not a very good option for her now.

Kagome had a plan for these two, she took a Shuriken from her obi and then said her incantation. Once she was done she sent one towards Kanna's mirror and the other went towards Kagura.

The Shuriken that went towards Kanna's mirror destroyed her mirror to prevent her from releasing her mirror Youkai. The explosion that ensued knocked Kanna unconscious on the ground and she was finally out of the way.

The Shuriken she sent towards Kagura hit her fan as the attack hit her dead on. She flew thru the air, landing hard on the ground and was also out of commission. Kagome knew that they were not bad and didn't want to hurt them but Naraku was holding their hearts. This way they will survive this battle because her spell will not let them wake up until it was all over.

Kagome and the pack fought viciously against Naraku's minions. Inuyasha came out of hiding to help in the final battle. He was waving his sword around like nothing was ever wrong with it and he was taking full advantage of the fact that it was working once more.

Sesshoumaru was sitting on Kagome's neck as he gave her warnings of attacks coming in from behind her when she was busy with the ones in front. He was their secret weapon for when Naraku decided to show up. The pack was fighting hard and they were winning the battle little by little.

Soon all the Youkai that Naraku sent their way were dead and the pack was regrouping as they faced off with Naraku.

Inuyasha took the lead, like he was the alpha, and yelled, "Naraku you bastard! It's time that you give up the shards of the jewel."

Naraku stood there and laughed in the hanyou's face, "Ah Inuyasha, how nice to see you again. Where is your mate? Is she not going to come out and say hello? Or were you too weak to protect her once more?"

Inuyasha growled as he gripped his sword even more. He was not happy with what he was hearing. "That is none of your business you bastard, now hand over the shards!"

As Inuyasha continued to keep Naraku busy, Kagome had her own ideas that she was relaying to her pack. She put her hands behind her back as she called them all forward. When they were all next to her, she used her hands to tell them what she wanted to do. She outlined her plan of attack as each member of her pack got their orders from her.

The only one that was totally clueless was Jaken because he never bothered to learn how she communicated with her pack when they were in a battle. Sango, Miroku, Shippou, and Kirara understood what Kagome wanted as they all moved to different locations around the arachnid.

Jaken noticed when the pack moved off. He had no idea what they were going to do. He moved off into the forest as he watched the pack. He didn't like this one bit. Orders or no orders he was getting away from this place because he was not about to die for a ningen wench. So, he turned tail and ran, he was heading west, back to Sesshoumaru's shiro. He made sure that no one saw him leaving the area of the battle.

-oOo-

Kagome started to move to the side when she whispered to Sesshoumaru, "Are you ready Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru growled and caressed his female's neck, "Yes miko, I am ready. When the time is right then I will join the fight against that vermin. But watch yourself around the half-breed, he is still a threat to you."

Kagome nodded her head in understanding and got ready for the final attack. She stood tall with her sword at her side and started to gather her powers. Then she noticed when Naraku turn his attention towards her. You could see the lust in his eyes, "Ah miko, nice to see you again. Where is Sesshoumaru? I thought that he would be with you since he was being so protective of you before."

Inuyasha could not help but yell at Naraku for his comment, "She belongs to me, that bastard holds no claim on my wench!" Before Inuyasha could move out of the way he was hit with a whip across the chest from Kagome.

Kagome was pissed at the way Naraku was talking to her but it was Inuyasha that set her temper off. She had enough of him claiming her person, she slashed her hand across her body and a whip came out of her fingers. Kagome hit Inuyasha in the chest sending him flying. "How many times do I have to tell you that I do not belong to you!"

Naraku chuckled, "Ah… still feisty as ever miko. I love that in a female. You should consider becoming my mate. I am the only logical choice for you, since I am the most powerful in the lands."

Kagome huffed stating in a heated voice, "There is no way that I will ever become your mate. You are not powerful enough, plus I already have someone that I am courting. So why would I court you when I have someone who is so much better than you, and more powerful."

Naraku was not happy. His female was being courted by someone and he was not going to stand by and let some upstart get his miko. "Ah that may be true miko but I don't see him defending you. Now what kind of male would leave his female unguarded to be taken by another male?"

A smirk came to Kagome face, "He knows that I can defend myself in a fight so why should he be here? Plus, there are no challenges here, Inuyasha is just a loud mouth half-breed and you're just a wanna be full Youkai. You are no challenge for me."

Naraku had enough and attacked the miko. Inuyasha seeing that Naraku was going after Kagome jumped into the fight and started swinging his sword in every direction attacking Naraku.

Kagome and her pack stood back and waited. They will just let Inuyasha fight Naraku until he was knocked out and then they will attack him. It made no sense to waste their time in fighting when Inuyasha would just get in the way of what they were trying to do.

It didn't take long for Inuyasha to go sailing thru the air when he hit the ground hard and was knocked unconscious. It was at that moment that Kagome and the others attacked.

Shippou, Miroku, and Sango, attacked first as they sent their attacks towards Naraku, each of them hitting their mark while they kept up the attacks.

Kagome then walked up and held her sword off to the side. She gathered her powers then she swung her sword across her body and released a powerful attack. It went towards Naraku with speed as it hit the arachnid full force. Everyone waited with bated breath to see if he was destroyed.

-oOo-

Naraku saw the attack coming his way and put a barrier around his body. He thought that he was powerful enough to hold off the attack and that was his down fall. Kagome's attack hit him while he fought to keep his barrier up around his body. He almost succeeded when his barrier broke. He felt the effects of Kagome's attack as it almost purified him. He had no doubt if that attack hit him without his barrier he would be dead. As it was… he was hurt and that did not sit well with him.

The smoke finally cleared as everyone saw that Naraku was still alive. Kagome's attack did hit him but it didn't purify him all the way. The pack continued to attack while Kagome defended herself against Naraku.

Naraku was vicious in his attacks towards the miko. He had about enough of her and he was about to show her just how powerful he really was. His tentacles came out of his back and sent them towards his target, hoping to capture her.

Kagome saw the attack coming her way and jumped out of the way. She flipped in the air and landed on bended knee. She held her sword out in front of her as she started to get another plan ready. Her pack was keeping his tentacles busy while she sent an attack of lightening towards the hanyou.

The attack hit true as Naraku started to scream in pain. Kagome had laced her attack with her Reiryoku and it purified Naraku some more. The pack was thrown clear of Naraku when he broke free and went after the little miko.

Kagome saw him coming when vines started to come out of the ground and grabbed hold of Naraku. The thorns on the vines were poisonous as his body was pierced by them. He was fighting against the vines when he got a burst of energy and broke free of their hold.

His tentacles came out of his back, he caught the little miko and pulled her close to his body. "Well little one I see that I now have you. You will submit to me as your alpha and become my mate. Then we will rule these lands together and no one will be able to stop me. The jewel that you have belongs to me, now hand it over."

Kagome was struggling in Naraku's hold when she heard what he said, "There is no way that I will ever submit to you! I will never give you the shards of the jewel. They belong to me and need to be returned to me. I will never let a bastard like you rule these lands, they belong to Sesshoumaru and he is the rightful heir to these lands not you!"

Naraku slapped Kagome across the face and took his anger out on her. "You bitch! These lands now belong to me! Sesshoumaru is in no shape to rule over these lands anymore. He is not even here with you because he knew that I would destroy him if he even showed himself. You beat me the last time, by the skin of your teeth. As you can see I'm the most powerful in these lands and it will be me that will rule these lands with you. Now to take what is mine to take."

He pinned Kagome to the ground, he flexed his claws and was about to rip her kimono off her person. He was hit in the chest and sent flying. He landed hard on the ground when he looked up. His eyes go wide as he says, "This is not possible! How did you break my spell?"

-oOo-

This is the end of this chapter. As you noticed Inuyasha's plan did not work out to his advantage. He got his backside kicked by his brother. Now they are in the middle of the final battle with Naraku.

Alright I was going to make you all wait but I decided to post the next chapter as well. I won't be a mean author and make you wait to see what happens in the final battle. There are some surprises in it so don't miss it. Just give me a little time and I promise that I will not let you wait for a week before you can read it, but just give me a day to get it ready.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Sesshoumaru stayed hidden underneath Kagome's hair the entire time she battled with Naraku. He will let his little mate handle herself in this battle but if he saw that she was in danger then he would step in.

Up until now his little mate has done an outstanding job in fighting Naraku. She let the idiot fight him first knowing that he would be knocked unconscious in this fight. Then she and the pack came in for the real battle. The pack was doing well in keeping Naraku away from Kagome. She sent several of her attacks that hit Naraku head on but his powers were proving troublesome to them. All that stolen Youki made him powerful and the shards of the jewel added to that.

But what most didn't notice was that his miko was purifying the shards with each attack she sent towards Naraku. She was almost done purifying them when she was caught by Naraku. He was not about to let that bastard touch what was his.

Sesshoumaru made his way out of her collar and moved away from the area. When he saw what Naraku was about to do to his miko, he used the power of the gift that his mate gave him and transformed into his normal size form. He attacked Naraku with his whip, knocking him away from his mate and landed right in front of her to protect her.

He took his sword out of its sheath and said, "You will not touch what is not yours. The miko belongs to this one and she will be my mate, and how I broke your spell it matters not, know that I will destroy you for attacking her."

Kagome was rubbing her arms when she was freed from Naraku's hold. She looked up to see Sesshoumaru standing in front of her. She channeled her powers into his necklace to make the illusion seem real. To anyone looking at Sesshoumaru it seemed that he was back to his normal form. Only she knew the truth behind his transformation.

Naraku could not believe that Sesshoumaru has somehow broken his spell. He was sure that he would never be able to break it, but somehow, he found a way and now he was standing in front of him defending the little miko.

He growled when he got up off the ground and stood his ground. He will now have to fight Sesshoumaru to get to the little miko. It appears that Sesshoumaru is the one courting her and he will not give up his mating rights.

Naraku removed his sword from its sheath and attacked Sesshoumaru. He sent a blast from his sword when it hit Sesshoumaru. He was so positive that he killed Sesshoumaru that he was about to go and claim his miko, when the smoke started to clear around the area. His eyes opened wide when he noticed that his attack didn't do anything to Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru stood there when the attack came his way. Then Tenseiga pulsed and his necklace got brighter while a barrier formed around his body. He was very well protected as his miko's gift protected him along with his father's sword.

He waited for the debris to clear. Once it was gone he attacked. He swung his sword across his body and sent an attack towards Naraku. It hit the arachnid full force, when he was thrown half way across the clearing.

Naraku was hurt. He knew he could not win against Sesshoumaru so he thought about cutting his losses and leaving. He will be able to fight another day once he came up with a plan. He was about to leave the area when a powerful barrier was put up. He tried to leave but every time he touched the barrier he was purified, preventing him from leaving this place.

He snarled, turning his attention to the little miko that was a thorn in his side, "Wench, you will regret putting up this barrier!"

Kagome was getting ready for the final attack, she was standing next to Sesshoumaru, when she put a barrier around the area. She signaled her pack to move out of the area when all of them took off into the forest.

Then Kagome started to glow like the morning sun as her body was surrounded by a golden light. Her eyes turned red, then her nails grew claws, fangs appeared in her mouth while her ears where pointed like Sesshoumaru. Her hair grew even longer than before as it almost touched the ground.

Kagome combined her powers of the earth and Reiryoku when vines came out of the ground to subdue Naraku. This time he will not have the power to get free. She heard a howl of anger as Naraku tried to get free of the vines. But every time he tried to reach for the vines he was purified by her powers.

She then started to cast her spell while she gathered her powers. Kagome was speaking in a language that neither Naraku nor Sesshoumaru understood. When she was done, she had a big orb in her hands and threw it at Naraku.

At the same time, Kagome grabbed Sesshoumaru while she moved him by her side and put up a barrier that would protect him.

Naraku noticed the attack coming towards him and put up his own barrier. He had to get free of these vines and his barrier worked the last time to stop the miko's attack on him. He was still fighting against the vines when the attack finally hit him.

The attack hit his barrier first when it broke it and then hit him. He was screaming his head off in pain, he was wondering how the miko got so much power to break his barrier, while he was purified to oblivion. By the time the debris finished falling there was nothing left of Naraku but dust.

Kagome felt weak in the knees when she started to fall. Sesshoumaru grabbed his miko and gently placed her on the ground before he reverted to the size that he was before. He knew that she expended a lot of energy to finish Naraku and then the power that she used to cast that illusion of him being normal size took her over the edge.

There was a worried look in his eyes when he asked, "Mate are you all right?"

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she heard him call her mate. A bright smile went across her lips while her eyes shined in happiness. "Yes, mate I'm fine, just a little tired. We should get the jewel shards before someone gets the idea that he can have the jewel."

Sesshoumaru understood his female and he also knew who she was talking about. She got up off the ground, making her way slowly towards the place where Naraku died. She found the remainder of the jewel on the ground, shinning a bright pale pink. Slowly, she bent down, not wanting to lose her balance from her weakened state, picked it up, and then removed the one that she had around her neck.

For the first-time Kagome noticed when the jewel came out of her skin and then she held the pieces together. She concentrated on her powers, fusing the pieces together to form the jewel once more. She smiled but then a frown took over her features when she noticed that the jewel was complete. That meant that Naraku took Kohaku's shard and he must be dead now.

She was saddened by this thought and Sango was going to be hurting to find that her brother was truly dead. She needed to talk to Sesshoumaru when she looked up trying to find him. He was floating just a short distance away from her, she turned and started to make her way back to him. 

The jewel was now complete and hanging around her neck. Then she heard the warning that their pack gave, she looked up in time to see an attack coming their way. Kagome ran forward, grabbed Sesshoumaru and placed him close to her chest, turning her back towards the attack, she put a barrier around their bodies.

The attack hit her full force, she was fighting hard to keep her barrier up, but it broke because she was weakened from fighting Naraku. She fell to the ground, shielding Sesshoumaru from the attack, crying out in pain. When the cloud of smoke cleared, they saw Kagome on the ground, bleeding heavily from the attack. Her back was torn to shreds almost exposing her bones.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was waking up from his forced slumber. He opened his eyes and they were blurred, he blinked a couple of times, holding the side of his head, until his eyes came back into focus. He groaned while he slowly sat up, still holding his head.

The last thing he remembered was fighting Naraku who wanted Kagome for a mate. He remembered getting hit but then nothing. He looked around the area when he noticed the pack coming out of the forest. He didn't see the wench and wondered where she was located.

Imagine his surprise when he noticed that Naraku was gone and she was putting the jewel back together again. His eyes turned red when he noticed that his hated brother was floating near his miko. He slowly got up off the ground, with Tetsusaiga still in his hand and transformed. He smiled an evil smile, raising his sword, he yelled, "Wind Scar!"

The attack headed towards his brother while his smile got wider across his lips. He was finally going to get rid of his brother when he saw the wench step into the line of fire. She was hit with his attack when he yelled, "KAGOME!" and ran to her location.

-oOo-

The pack was happy that Naraku was finally dead. They noticed Kagura and Kanna moving, they were waking up from their forced slumber. They looked around and noticed that Naraku was no more.

Kagura put her hand on her chest when she started to feel her beating heart. A smile came to her lips, then she looked for Kanna. She saw Kanna starting to wake up and moved over to her side. Imagine her surprise when Kanna's eyes were no longer void and they had a life of their own. Kagura was happy that Kanna finally had her heart back as well when she spotted the miko's pack not too far away from her.

She gathered Kanna and walked towards the pack. She didn't get too close, for fear of getting attacked, she bowed and stated, "I want you to tell the little miko thanks for releasing us. We now have our hearts and we are leaving. We will start anew in another place. If we ever travel this way again we will visit her and Lord Sesshoumaru in the west."

Kagura then looked at the slayer and said with sadness in her heart, "I'm sorry for the loss of your brother. Naraku killed him before he came here to get his jewel shard. I was unable to keep him safe."

Sango heard the words that Kagura said to her, her heart broke as tears were running down her cheeks, "Thank you for telling me. Now I can morn his loss knowing that he is finally at peace."

Kagura bowed her head in acknowledgment, she pulled a feather from her hair, then she and Kanna jumped on. The feather moved upward as Kagura left the area with Kanna. They had no idea if they would ever see them again.

Miroku walked over to Sango and put his arm around her shoulder to console her. She was crying into his chest as the males of the pack started to move towards their alphas, taking Sango with them.

Sango looked up from Miroku's chest, she pulled away from him while she cleaned her eyes of her tears. When she looked around the area she noticed that Inuyasha was sitting up, and elbowed Miroku at the same time. She used her head to show him where she wanted him to look and he did. Miroku also noticed when the hanyou finally woke up. This was typical, he would always wake up after the battle was done.

Then he noticed when Inuyasha got up with his sword in his hand. The hanyou took aim, the group finally realized what he was going to do. They yelled a warning to their alpha's as the attack hit the area they were in.

When the dust cleared, they noticed that Kagome was down on the ground as they all rushed to her side.

Shippou was the first to get to his mother's side as he attacked the hanyou for hurting her. He was being protective of her and the pack could not go near her when he was like this.

Inuyasha was hurt when he looked up and noticed that Shippou was standing between him and his miko. "What the fuck! Get out of my way you bastard, I have to go and see if Kagome is all right."

Inuyasha had to jump to move out of the way of the attack that Shippou sent his way. He was becoming more powerful with each attack. "You bastard, you hurt my mother! How dare you! I will kill you for hurting her."

While Inuyasha was facing off with Shippou, Sesshoumaru was crawling out from underneath his miko. He shook his head when he looked at his mate. His eyes opened wide when he noticed that she was hurt.

Her kimono was ripped on her back and she was bleeding profusely. She was just lying there with her eyes opened. He ran to her side and whispered, "Miko why did you get in the way of the attack? Why would you put yourself in harm's way for me?"

Kagome was in pain when she said in a low voice so only he could hear, "That's a silly question Sesshoumaru. You should know by now…" she took a short pain filled breath, coughing up blood as she did so, before she continued, "that I love you. I would do anything to protect you. This is my gift to you. Live for me, live and be happy. Take care of Rin and tell her that I love her as my own daughter." Kagome took a shaky breath as a tear came out of her eyes. She was in so much pain that she couldn't take it. She fell unconscious when her body gave out, stopped breathing, and died.

At that moment when his miko died Sesshoumaru was returned to his normal size. He roared his grief for his miko. He picked her up in his arms and held her close to his chest. He was heart-broken, the only female that he ever loved was now dead. She gave her life so he could live. "Why my miko… why would you give your life for mine, I loved you so much."

Sesshoumaru was so hurt that he howled a mournful howl that went out over the lands. It was the cry from a male losing his mate. At that time Sesshoumaru heard, "You bastard get away from my Kagome!"

Sesshoumaru turned his head and noticed his brother standing off to the side. He growled viciously, "Half-breed this is your fault. You killed her, do you ever think about what you are doing before you attack anyone. Didn't you see that she was standing next to me when you attacked? DO you ever think at all!"

Inuyasha was about to attack again when the Tetsusaiga started to vibrate violently in his hands. No matter how hard he tried to hold on to it he couldn't. The sword attacked him and he had to let go of it. The sword then floated in front of the hanyou as it pulsed with power. It then turned and went to Sesshoumaru as it floated in front of him.

Sesshoumaru saw the Tetsusaiga floating in front of him while he looked at the sword. He had no wish to have the sword. All he wanted back was his miko. He looked down as he caressed her cheeks hoping that she would wake up from her slumber but it was no use. Not even Tenseiga would work on her since it was not pulsing. It was quiet in its sheath.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what he was going to do when he heard a voice say, "Finally Sesshoumaru you have learned compassion."

Sesshoumaru looked up from his miko when he saw his father's spirit standing there holding the Tetsusaiga. "Yes, she was everything that I ever wanted, she made my life complete and now I have lost her.

"Why? Why did she have to die?" Sesshoumaru couldn't look at his father as his eyes were glued to his miko. Then he heard a female voice say, "She died because she had to die for you to be returned to your normal form. Kagome understood how to break the spell on you Sesshoumaru, she knew that a life needed to be given for you to be set free. But the Kami's have seen her unselfish act and have decided that she deserves another chance at life. So, she will be returned to you, on one condition."

Sesshoumaru was surprised by what the female was saying to him when he looked up. He saw Midoriko standing there next to his father, "And what is that condition?"

Midoriko smiled at the Youkai Lord and said, "Love her for the rest of your life, protect her with everything that you are, and let no harm come to her."

Sesshoumaru was overjoyed at what he heard, "This I will give you my word, I will love her until the end of time. She will want for nothing in her life with me and I will protect her with my very life."

Midoriko heard the Youkai's word of honor, she raised her hand and sitting in it was the Shikon No Tama. The jewel glowed brightly as it turned into an orb in her hand. She said something to it quietly so no one could hear her, then she released the orb and it went back into Kagome's body. When it was settled, Kagome took a deep breath and started to breathe once more.

Sesshoumaru could not believe it his miko was back and held her closer to this chest. Then he heard, "Sesshoumaru, Tetsusaiga now belongs to you. Inuyasha will no longer be able to wield the sword for what he has done here today. Plus, the sword belongs to Kagome, she was the one that pulled it out of my body in the netherworld. She controls it and now that she will be your mate the sword belongs to you."

Sesshoumaru understood his father, he reached out and grabbed the sword. The barrier that was around the sword was no longer there as it allowed him to handle the sword. Then they heard, "That's my sword you bastard, and I want it back!"

-oOo-

Inuyasha was standing some distance away from Kagome because Shippou refused to let him get any closer to her. He noticed when his father was standing in front of Sesshoumaru and he heard what he told him. He was pissed that his own father would give his sword away to his brother. It was his sword and he wanted it back.

After Midoriko left, he saw his chance, he yelled at both his brother and father. He approached the two while he stood off to the side, waiting for his sword to be handed back to him. But then he heard his father say, "You cannot have the sword Inuyasha, that sword belongs to the little miko and she gave it to you to protect her."

"WHAT! She didn't give me that sword to protect her I got it out of your grave and cut that assholes arm off when he wanted to take it away from me." said Inuyasha with conviction in his voice.

He jumped when his father appeared right in front of him and it scared the living daylights out of him. "Is that so, do you not remember when she pulled the sword out of the stone when you were fighting your brother and she was holding it up when he sprayed her with his poison? I remember it very well and when you were both outside of my tomb and she told you that she knew the secret to make the sword transform. She told you then that all you had to do was to use it to protect her and it did work.

"You abandoned this miko to go to a dead one that didn't want anything to do with you. She used you the way you used Kagome. You would go take your pleasure from that miko and then turn around and tell this one that you loved her and wanted to mate her when the final battle with Naraku was over."

Inuyasha was losing his temper with everything that his father was saying to him, "I do protect her! I protected her the whole time we were searching for the shards. I protected her when Youkai would attack her, it was me who did that, no one else!"

At that moment in time Sesshoumaru put his little miko down and went after his brother, he grabbed him by his throat while he held him up. "How dare you stand there and lie to our father on what you did. You abandoned your pack every night so you could be with the dead one. They were the ones that protected her from the other Youkai when you were gone. But she is the one that defeated the Youkai you would battle because you never wanted to listen to what your pack was saying and tried to do it all yourself.

"You would wind up unconscious on the ground while they did all the work, just like today in this final battle. You started out fighting Naraku but got knocked unconscious not even half way through the fight. It was the miko that destroyed Naraku and it is her that I will protect with the Tetsusaiga. Now leave before I forget myself and kill you where you stand." But before he let his brother go he removed Tetsusaiga's sheath from his side as he sheathed his sword.

He then threw Inuyasha to the ground and moved to grab his miko. He picked her up and said to his pack, "Come, we are returning to the elder miko's village."

The pack fell in step with Sesshoumaru while he carried his miko back to the village, leaving his brother behind on the forest floor.

Inuyasha was not pleased, he got up off the ground and was about to go after his brother, when his father stepped in front of him, "Inuyasha I would not go after Sesshoumaru. A male Inu Youkai becomes very aggressive when their mate is weakened."

Inuyasha growled at his father, "She is not his mate! She is mine and I will not give her up that easily. She will submit to me as her alpha and become my mate!"

At that moment Segumi moved with lightning speed, he grabbed his son by the neck and lifted him off the ground. He looked at his son and said, "So… I see what the dead one did to you. Even now that she is dead she still has control over you. You are weak and foolish Inuyasha to allow that dead bitch to curse you."

Segumi then took his hand and stuck it inside his son's chest. He grabbed hold of the curse and pulled it out of his body. He dropped his son on the ground while he was breathing hard.

Inuyasha didn't know what his father was doing when he pulled something out of his body. He felt different, his anger was gone, and he felt normal once more. He looked on from the ground to see what his father was going to do.

Segumi growled, the foolish bitch was trying to control him like she controlled his son. He snarled at it and the curse stopped its movements. "Do you really think, dead one, that you can control a person like me? You are foolish to think that you can control me as easily as you did my son. It is time for you to return back to hell, say hello to Akuma for me." He then took his claw and injected his poison into the orb as it screamed and then disappeared from his hand.

Segumi looked down at his son, he shook his head in disgust, "You are weak Inuyasha, if you had listened to your brother, you would be a lot stronger right now."

Inuyasha took offense to what his father was saying, "What do you mean by that? He has been trying to kill me for as long as I can remember, he doesn't care about me."

Inuyasha shut his mouth when he heard the vicious snarl his father gave him, "You are truly an idiot Inuyasha, if you would have paid attention to what your brother tried to teach you, he would have never attacked you in the first place. But you wanted to do things your way and the only way he had to teach you was to fight you. You learn your lessons the hard way, Inuyasha, only by beating it into your head did you learn how to wield a sword.

"This will be your last warning, don't go near your brother until the little miko wakes up, because if you do he will kill you." He then turned and left his youngest son. It was time for him to leave. He wished he could stay longer to beat some sense into his youngest pup but he couldn't. But what he said to him was the truth, Inuyasha learned his lessons the hard way so he will go and harass his brother before the miko woke and it will be his death.

Inuyasha watched as his father disappeared; it hurt him to hear that his father thought of him as foolish and weak. But his brother got everything in life, and he was left with nothing. So, he will go back to the village and get his miko back from his brother. She was his mate and nothing was going to stop him from claiming her.

He got up off the ground and went after his female. It was time that she took her rightful place by his side where she belonged.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru and the pack were approaching the village while they made their way to Kaede's hut. Once there Sesshoumaru knocked on the door frame and then entered when bid to do so. He spotted the elderly miko sitting by the fire and said, "Lady Kaede please see to this one's mate. She was injured when Inuyasha attacked me and took the brunt of the attack."

Kaede was alarmed to hear this, if Kagome took the brunt of Inuyasha's attack then she could be severely injured, "May this old one look at the child? I must see if she has any injuries."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, he then sat down near one of the walls with his miko in his lap. He moved her hair away from her back to expose the torn haori. Kaede looked closely at the area where her haori was torn but she didn't find any injuries at all. "You say that Kagome was injured protecting you Lord Sesshoumaru, yet I see no wounds on her back."

Sesshoumaru looked down at his mate when his eyes opened wide. The old miko was correct, his mate did not have any injuries at all. This was good, it only meant that his mate was just sleeping in his arms. "Very well then we shall rest here for a while before heading back to the Western Lands."

The pack moved in as they all sat down to rest. They were all talking quietly to Kaede as they filled her in on what happened in the final battle.

Shippou was resting near the only door to the hut when he started to smell something approaching the village. He was not happy that Inuyasha was coming this way. He got up and went outside. His alpha was resting with his mother and he was not about to let him disturb her. She needed her rest after that battle with Naraku.

Shippou was wondering how on earth he could get pass the barrier around the village but that was a moot point now, because he could tell that Inuyasha was approaching the hut.

Shippou was agitated and took off into the forest. He met the hanyou in a small clearing near Kaede's hut while he stood his ground. His tails were moving wildly behind him. He was on edge and it wouldn't take much to push him over it.

Inuyasha stopped short when he noticed that Shippou was standing in his way of reaching Kaede's hut and he appeared agitated. "Move out of my way runt, I need to go and see Kagome."

Shippou snarled, there was no way that he was going to let him get close to his mother after what he did to her, "You almost killed my mother, she is resting now and I'm not going to allow you anywhere near her."

At that moment, Sango and Miroku came out of the forest as they stood on either side of Shippou. It was a unified front against the hanyou. "You heard Shippou Inuyasha, you are no longer welcomed here. Kagome was injured because of you and now she is resting. We will not allow you to bother her, if she wants to talk to you when she wakes then that is her decision, but until then you will leave her alone."

Inuyasha couldn't believe his ears. His own pack would not let him get close to the wench, "Why are all of you against me? What have I done to deserve this?"

It was Sango who answered that question, "That is easy Inuyasha, you mated that bitch Kikyou and when she was killed you came back looking for Kagome. You only want her because she has the jewel and you can wish your oh so perfect mate back to life, it's not because you want Kagome as a mate because you don't love her. She has finally found happiness with someone else, why don't you leave her alone?"

-oOo-

Miroku was looking at Inuyasha while he was talking to Sango. He noticed that the spell he was under was gone from his person. He was correct in his thinking before, he had a hunch that Kikyou cursed Inuyasha and part of her soul was within his body. That is how he used dark magic to keep his location a secret and could remove the barrier from around the well so he could destroy it.

When he saw him at the battle field he detected the curse that was put on him, but now it was gone and he could walk right through the barrier that was placed around the area. The barrier was set to not let him in if he was under the influence of a curse. He continued to listen because he knew they will be in a battle here shortly. He put his hand into his kimono and removed some ofuda's, getting them ready just in case.

-oOo-

Inuyasha was not good at taking criticism, "She is my alpha female and she will be my mate. Once I have her as a mate then I will wish Kikyou back from the dead. I will have everything that I ever wanted. Kikyou as my mate and the wench to give me pups." Inuyasha had to duck fast to avoid Sango's weapon. He then had to dodge Miroku's ofuda's as a battle started outside of the village, in the forest, near Kaede's hut.

Sesshoumaru was resting with his mate when he heard the sounds of battle. He knew who it was, he put his miko down and then told Rin to stay inside the hut and watch Kagome. That was an order that Rin was willing to do, then she watched her Lord leave the hut.

Sesshoumaru stepped outside the hut, raising his nose to the air, he sniffed. He caught the scent of his idiot brother and the pack, they were fighting him in the forest. The half breed was close to what was his. His miko was not fully awake yet so he will not let him anywhere near her. The pack knew this, they tried to get him to leave, but the hanyou was being stubborn.

Sesshoumaru leaped from in front of the hut, going towards the battle. He landed between his brother and his pack, stopping the fight. He snarled, "What do you want half-breed?"

Inuyasha looked up when he saw his brother. He was going to settle this once and for all, "I want my miko and my pack back you bastard."

A whip came out of Sesshoumaru's fingers, he sent it flying towards Inuyasha and hit him in the chest, the hanyou flew backwards to land hard on the ground. The air was knocked out of his lungs, he was trying to breathe, when he heard his brother say, "This pack is no longer yours Inuyasha. The miko has accepted my offer to become my mate, which means that her pack now belongs to this one. They have proven themselves to be loyal to their alpha which is far from what you got.

"The only reason this pack ever stayed together was because of the little miko. She is the true alpha of this pack. An alpha is not just a title, Inuyasha, it is a responsibility to the pack members to care for them and provide them with what they need. You never provided a meal for this pack, you never provided them with garments to wear, nor took care of them if they were injured. The only thing you ever cared for was your selfish desires.

"You were the first to eat and took what you wanted while the pups of the pack were left hungry. You left them unprotected, when you were on guard duty, to take your pleasure with that dead miko. You never cared about anyone in your pack so why are you so persistent now?"

Inuyasha was listening to everything that his brother was saying. He was right, he didn't care about anyone in his pack. He never went hunting, Kagome and the others always did that. He always took what he wanted to eat and didn't care if there was any food left for the rest of the pack, and he did leave them unprotected which is why Kagome was always injured.

But he didn't care about any of that right now, "I don't care about what you are saying. Kagome is my alpha bitch and she will be my mate. It is time that she takes her place by my side, this little game of hers has gone on for far too long."

A growl was heard in the area when both males looked up to see a very pissed off miko coming into view. The pack knew that look, they slowly moved out of the line of fire. They knew that she has heard everything that the hanyou was saying and it was about to get even hotter here.

-oOo-

Kagome moaned when she started to wake up from her sleep. There was something in the area that shouldn't be there and it was a threat to her pack. She could feel it in the area and the trees confirmed her suspicions. Inuyasha was causing trouble and Sesshoumaru has gone out to take care of the problem.

Slowly she opened her eyes to see that Rin was sitting next to her. She smiled for the little girl and said, "Hi Rin, where is everyone?"

Rin was happy that her mother was awake, when she heard her question she answered, "Everyone is outside, Inuyasha was coming here and Shippou didn't want him to come anywhere near you. He said that Inuyasha has hurt you enough so he went to see what he wanted. But when Lord Sesshoumaru woke up he heard what was being said outside and decided to stop his brother from hurting everyone in the pack."

This confused her, why would her Lords brother want to hurt their pack? "Mama, why would Inuyasha hurt our pack? We haven't done anything to him."

Kagome could only laugh, _'children… they say the strangest things. Sometimes they put us adults to shame with how logical they are.'_ "Well it's a long story, Rin. I will tell you after I go see what your Lord is doing. I want to make sure that Sesshoumaru and his brother do not get in a fight."

Rin understood while she helped her mother get to her feet. Kagome took a few deep breaths to fill her lungs, when she thought that she was ready she moved forward very slowly. She could still feel that her energy was depleted but she would not let that stop her. She needed to get Inuyasha out of this area. If he even thought about taking her as a mate she will change his mind the hard way.

Rin stood back and watched, her mother was moving very slowly. She was using the side of the hut to stand and make her way towards the entrance to the hut. She was worried about her mother, "Mama, maybe you should stay in here. You are not well yet and you're very pale, I don't want anything to happen to you."

Kagome smiled at Rin, she knew that she was worried about her, "Nothing is going to happen to me, Rin, your Lord will not let me get hurt. I will be back in a few minutes with everyone." Kagome then walked out of the hut and headed towards the others. She could feel where they were located and she knew that Inuyasha was with them.

Kagome knew that Sesshoumaru was there as well and slowly made her way into the forest. The earth seeing how weak their miko was gave her the energy she needed to get stronger. Kagome started to feel stronger the longer she was in the forest. She could feel the earth giving her back her energy, for which she was very grateful for.

She continued on her way while her senses became sharper. She could hear what Sesshoumaru was saying to the half-breed and he had a valid point. Inuyasha never showed that he was alpha of a pack, he just bullied everyone around.

Then she started to hear what Inuyasha was saying about her. The more he spoke the angrier she got. Her eyes started to bleed red when she finally made it to the location where everyone was located.

She noticed when her pack moved out of the line of fire. They were smart, they knew what was coming. When she looked at Sesshoumaru she noticed the lust in his eyes as she growled one more time at the hanyou that was trying to get closer to her.

-oOo-

Inuyasha paled when he saw Kagome come into view. She was angry, her aura was flaring everywhere. Her hair was moving on its own and her eyes were blood red. He had to do a double take because he has never seen her with red eyes before. He was wondering what was happening to her. "Kagome? Are you all right?"

Kagome never answered him and moved closer to his location. Inuyasha swore he saw fangs in Kagome's mouth and took an unconscious step back from her. He had no idea what she was going to do but he was not about to let her get close to him.

When Kagome was close enough to the hanyou she stated in a deadly voice, "I am not now nor will I ever be yours. I'm not your alpha female, I'm not going to be your mate, and I'm not going to give you the jewel. So, get your hanyou ass away from here before I forget that we used to be friends and kill you for making a claim against my person. If I hear you do it again I will kill you where you stand."

No one ever said that Inuyasha was smart. They would have thought of him as downright foolish for what he was about to say and do. "Just who do you think you are talking to wench? I am alpha of our pack and you are one of its members. If I want some food it's up to you to get it for me, if I want a good fuck you are to submit to me so I can get laid.

"You are to do as you are told and if I want the jewel shards then they are mine to take and you can't do anything about it."

At that moment, Kagome's temper went thru the roof. She had about enough of Inuyasha's mouth. Her fists were balled on the side of her body when she moved with lightning speed and punched Inuyasha in the face. He landed on the ground with a broken nose while his blood was going everywhere. "How dare you! How dare you tell me that I should just lay back and let you defile my body just so you can have your pleasure."

"You fucking bitch! I will show you who is boss here." Inuyasha was about to get up off the ground when Kagome said one word, "Subdue." Vines came out of the ground as they wrapped themselves around Inuyasha's wrist, ankles, chest, and neck. He was pinned to the ground while Kagome towered over him.

She raised her hand and a large ball of Reiryoku formed there. She looked at Inuyasha with red eyes when her fangs came out of her mouth, "Now, let's see if you can get free from my spell. You call yourself alpha then let's see how powerful you are, because to be alpha of this pack you have to be more powerful than me."

Try as he might Inuyasha could not get free of Kagome's spell and he was stuck on the ground. The vines were not about to release him while he growled at the wench. He was about to yell something at Kagome when the vine on his neck went tighter. It choked what he was about to say while he just eyed his alpha female.

Kagome just proved her point, "You are a weak hanyou Inuyasha and you may talk big but you are worthless as a male. You can't hold your own in a fight. You can't even beat a female in a fight. What makes you think that this pack will listen to someone like you? Submit to me now or I will purify something that you hold dear to your heart. You won't have to worry about producing any pups because you won't have one."

Inuyasha's eyes went wide when he heard what Kagome said to him. She wouldn't do it. She didn't have the guts to purify his manhood. "You wish bitch! I will never submit to you."

Kagome got a wicked smile on her face, then she released the ball she was holding, it left her hand while it slowly approached the subdued hanyou. It hovered over his body as it slowly descended towards his jewels.

Inuyasha's eyes opened wide when he saw the ball of Reiryoku coming closer to his body. He couldn't believe that she was really going to purify his manhood. It was his pride and joy, he couldn't let her do it. He started to move frantically trying to get free of Kagome's spell but try as he might he couldn't get free. The ball was just above his waist when he started to feel the heat of the ball.

The ball of Reiryoku started to do its job as it was slowly purifying Inuyasha's manhood. He was soon to be a female if he didn't submit.

Inuyasha was running out of options, finally, he swallowed his pride and submitted to Kagome. He will never be able to take her as a mate because he could not subdue her but she could subdue him. He turned his head and showed his throat to Kagome as the ball of Reiryoku lifted and disappeared from the area.

Kagome was happy that Inuyasha submitted to her. Now let's see if he will be submissive or will he go back on what he just did. She let him go and stood tall, she commanded respect and he will show it or it will be his death.

Inuyasha was finally freed by the wench. He slowly got up off the ground and rubbed his neck. It hurt like crazy but at least he still had his jewels. They were a little toasty but his pride and joy was still there. At least he did not have to squat down to relieve himself. But he still had to do something. He knew what he needed to do in a submission and he was not looking forward to it.

He approached Kagome while he kept his eyes on her. He was ready to run if she attacked him, then an evil thought came into his mind, he was thinking about attacking her and getting her to submit to him. But one look from his brother who was standing behind the wench made him think twice about that idea. He kneeled in front of Kagome and barred his neck at her in submission. He stayed like that when he felt fangs on his neck.

Inuyasha stood still because if he moved the fangs would kill him instantly. Then he felt the pressure leave his neck, he looked up, expecting to see his brother, but to his surprise he saw Kagome standing in front of him. He lowered his eyes and waited to see what she was going to do to him.

Kagome approached Inuyasha, she grabbed him by the neck with her fangs, she wanted to see if he would fight her. When he didn't move, she released him and stepped away from him. She had her arms crossed over her chest while she decided what she was going to do with him. If she sent him away he will only come back to bug her.

"You may stay with the pack Inuyasha but if you step out of line your life is mine to take. I will not put up with your attitude or your mouth. You are to be a productive member of this pack or you will find yourself alone, wondering the forest for the rest of your life. Am I making myself clear?"

Inuyasha was not happy with what he was being told but at least he will be with his friends and not alone. He looked up and saw his brother. He was giving him the evil eye and he opted to keep his mouth shut. He just nodded agreeing with Kagome.

Sesshoumaru was not happy that his female let the hanyou stay with the pack, but he thought he knew why she did it. If she made him leave he would be back to bug her and the pack. This way she will be able to keep an eye on him and keep him out of trouble.

Sesshoumaru looked at his female and he was wondering why she was not changing back. "Mate, this one would like to know why you still look like a Youkai? You are ningen and ningens do not look like Youkai."

Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru when she heard his words, she thought about what he said and she really didn't have an answer for him. "I don't know Sesshoumaru. I have no idea what's happening to me or why I have changed so much."

At that moment, they all heard a male voice say, "I believe that I can answer your question now my little one."

They all turned when they saw Konokarei standing there in front of them. All of them, except for Inuyasha, kneeled in front of the leaf spirit, showing him respect.

Inuyasha was just being Inuyasha, "Who the fuck are you?"

A whip came out and hit the hanyou in the chest as Sesshoumaru growled out, "You will respect the Leaf Spirit of these lands. If you don't I will flay you open where you stand."

Inuyasha growled but he moved off to the side to be out of reach of Sesshoumaru whip. He was still hurting from what Kagome did to him and he had to learn to watch how he speaks around his brother.

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the leaf spirit, "I apologize for my brother's behavior Konokarei, he has yet to learn any manners."

Konokarei chuckled, "It will be a long time before he learns manners Sesshoumaru. His spirit is wild and he has been on his own for a long time. You have your work cut out for you to teach him manners."

Everyone in the clearing agreed with the leaf spirit, it was going to take Inuyasha many years to learn any manners, then they all turned their attention to the leaf spirit to see what he had to say.

Konokarei turned his attention to the little miko and stated, "Now my little one, do you remember me?"

Kagome was confused by his question, it has not been that long since she has last seen him for her to forget who he was, "Yes your Konokarei the leaf spirit of these lands."

Konokarei chuckled at her answer, "Yes I am but I'm also someone that you know from long ago."

Kagome was confused, she didn't know what he was talking about, "What do you mean by that? I have never seen you before I came here to this era."

Konokarei smiled, he raised his staff off the ground and the leaves started to go around his body. There was a bright light and when it was gone, a younger man stood in front of them all.

Kagome's eyes opened wide when she saw who was in front of her. She was shocked out of her mind as tears started to fall from her eyes. "Daddy… is that… you?"

Konokarei opened his arms to his daughter while she ran into them. He held her in his arms happy to be able to hold his only child. "Yes, my little one. I am your father."

Everyone was shocked to hear what Konokarei had to say. They were all confused, even Kagome, she pulled away from her father, "What happened to you? I thought that you were dead. Mother told me that you died in an accident."

Konokarei sat down on the ground and put his daughter in his lap, everyone else followed suit. He was still holding her when he answered her question. "That is true, I did die in an accident, but I really didn't die. I had to return to the lands for they needed me. I love your mother with all my heart. She knows who I am and willingly became my bride, she knew that I would not be able to stay with her but we did have some happy years together.

"The happiest time was when you were born. You were such a little thing. I always called you my little one when you were little. Then your brother was born, though he is not of my blood I loved him just the same."

Konokarei noticed the shocked look on his daughter's face and decided to explain, "Yes Kagome, Souta is not my son. It was something that the Kami's did for your grandfather since his only son did not marry and was dying. Your mother doesn't know that Souta is not my child and I will never tell her, but I loved him as my own and we had the perfect little family.

"But things started to change in the world and the lands were crying out to me. I had to return and take care of the lands. I miss your mother but before I left her I gave her a book that told of your adventures here in this era. I asked her not to let your grandfather find the book because I knew that he would find out that you were not his relative by blood.

"I also asked her to make sure that you were well trained for the task you had to do here. I knew that it was not going to be easy and I needed you to be well trained. She did a good job in training you because I did not have to teach you much for you to release your true powers.

"But the reason you are changing is because as my daughter you are not ningen. You are on the same level as a demi goddess with holy powers. The Kami's long ago agreed that we will need someone with tremendous powers to fight the evil that would come to these lands. They agreed that it would be my only daughter to carry this burden.

"I searched for a female that I could love, and when I found your mother and fell in love with her she agreed to become my mate. She knew that I was the leaf spirit of the lands and that I was taking on a mortal form to be with her. But when I had to leave, the Kami's implanted the memories of all around you, that I was your father but died.

"Your grandfather's son actually did die and they altered his memories so it included all of you as his family so that the family would have a male figure. But your mother kept her memories of our life together.

"But you are special. You will become a full-blooded Youkai if the male you pick is a Youkai. You will keep your Reiryoku but you will also have my powers as well. Your life will be tied to the male you chose and he will make you happy."

Kagome was getting a headache from all the information she was receiving. She has calmed down enough that her eyes were back to normal. She looked up at her father, "Why didn't you tell me when we first met who you were? Why all the secrecy?"

Konokarei looked at his daughter with sad eyes and stated, "I was forbidden from talking to you about this. I had already broken the Kami's rules when I created your dream world so you and Sesshoumaru could get closer."

Kagome was shocked to hear this, "You mean to tell me that you created that world where we met and talked?"

Konokarei chuckled at her wide eyed shocked expression, "Yes my little one I did. I knew that Sesshoumaru was having problems stating his intension in the real world so I created a place where he appeared normal so he could speak from his heart. You see Inu Youkai always keep their emotions close to their hearts. Instinct run high when they are wanting a female, if there is anything that is getting in the way of them properly courting their chosen female they will not act on their feelings.

"I didn't want him breaking your heart since I knew that you had fallen in love with him. If he thought that he was back in his normal form, then he would tell you what he was planning. My plan worked because he confessed his feelings for you and requested to court you.

"Even when you both woke up that morning, you both thought that the dream was real. It was real in every sense of the word but in an alternate reality."

Sesshoumaru growled when he heard what Konokarei was saying, _'So he was the one that created that place where I and the miko met. I must say that it was very ingenious of him to do that. If he had not done that then I would have never opened up to my miko on my feelings for her.'_

Kagome was growing tired, she wanted to talk to her father some more but her bodies demand for rest was overpowering. She rested her head against her father's chest as she listened to what he was saying and finally fell asleep. She was still weak from the battle with Naraku and needed to rest.

Sesshoumaru noticed when his female fell asleep as he got up off the ground and went towards Konokarei. He kneeled in front of him and asked, "May I have my mate back? She needs to rest, she has yet to get her strength back from her fight with Naraku."

Konokarei sighed but agreed, he handed his daughter over to Sesshoumaru, with a look of pride in his eyes, "Sesshoumaru, I give you my daughter for your mate. Please make her happy."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head, "It will be my honor and pleasure to make her happy. She deserves it and I thank you. Will you come to visit her in the west once we are mated?" He moved his mate closer to his chest when she snuggled closer to him.

Konokarei couldn't help but smile when he noticed what she did, "Yes, tell her that I will always be watching her and I am only a whisper away if she needs to talk to me."

Sesshoumaru agreed while he stood with his mate. Konokarei also got up, he raised his staff and the winds picked up. The leaves started to go around his body when he disappeared from the area.

Sesshoumaru then turned with his mate in his arms and started to make his way back to the village. The pack followed as Inuyasha brought up the rear. He was not too happy about his brother claiming his female but there was nothing he could do. He knew that Sesshoumaru would have to fight Kagome to mate her. If he couldn't subdue her then he will not be able to mate her.

His little hanyou mind was going a mile a minute trying to find a way to get his miko back from his brother. Until then he will behave and wait. He was positive that Kagome will never submit to any male willingly, so all he had to do was wait until she battled Sesshoumaru and when she defeated him she would be weak enough for him to take as a mate.

Sesshoumaru looked at his brother out of the corner of his eye. He could tell that he was planning something. If Inuyasha thinks he will get his mate he was sorely mistaken. He will subdue her when the time comes, as was his right. Plus, her father has already given him permission to mate her.

He knew that she was something special but he had no idea that she was Konokarei daughter. This changed everything, he will not lose his mate to time as she will be with him for all eternity. She was immortal like he himself was. It also explained what was going on with her. She was changing because her powers were finally released. But he guessed that her transformation will be complete once he mated her.

He couldn't wait for the mating. It has been long in coming and his beast was anxious to claim his mate. He knew that tonight would be the night of the full moon, a night where Youkai's mated their chosen female, and tonight he will claim what was his.

They finally made it back to the village as Sesshoumaru took his miko back into the hut so she could rest. He sat down with his miko in his lap when he heard, "Lord Sesshoumaru is Kagome-sama all right?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes softened when he talked to Rin, "Yes Rin the miko is fine. She is only sleeping because she is tired." Rin was happy with that answer, she smiled big for her Lord and went to sit down. She was going to help with the evening meal so she started by learning what she needed to do.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Surprise you now all know who Kagome's father is. Sesshoumaru is happy because he will not lose his mate to time. Inuyasha is pissed because he could not subdue Kagome.

Yes that means that the next chapter will contain the mating of Kagome and Sesshoumaru, for all of you on Fanfiction you will not read the full mating part, because of the nature of the mating and the way I write it will be omitted, but I will try my best to give you an idea on what is going on. This also means that we are rapidly coming to an end to this story. I only have 3 more chapters until it is done.

If you want to read the full chapter, as it was written, you must go to Dokuga to read it. I will give you the URL to that chapter when I post it.

Until the Next time

Ja ne!


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Sesshoumaru was sitting up against the wall with his mate, the day was slowly ending but Sesshoumaru body was heating up. He was going into heat to claim his mate.

At the same time, the mark on Kagome's neck started to glow as Sesshoumaru's beast was calling to their mate. He was calling to her in the ancient Inu way as they both started to glow.

Everyone in the hut eyes opened wide when they noticed what was going on. They all observed when Sesshoumaru got up, his hair was moving on its own. His eyes were blood red meaning that his beast was taking over.

Inuyasha knew what was going on, he has been feeling the same thing all day. Tonight… was the night of the full moon, a night where Youkai mated their chosen females. He was close to Kagome and wanted her for his mate, his beast was coming forth to claim what was his, while he growled. But before he could do anything he was hit with a sutra that immobilized the hanyou and kept him subdued. Sesshoumaru then walked out of the hut with Kagome in his arms.

The pack was confused and were about to follow when they heard, "I would not recommend you following him. He is going into heat and he will be mated by tomorrow. Tonight, is the night of the full moon and on this night all Youkai that have an intended, will mate. It's the only time that a full mating can happen and he will make Kagome his mate."

Sango and Miroku turned when they heard what Shippou was saying. They understood what was happening and they were happy for Kagome, she finally has someone that will love her for who she was, then they heard the hanyou say, "Let me go! I can't let Sesshoumaru mate Kagome, she belongs to me and I will have her as my mate this night."

Miroku turned to the loud mouth hanyou and stated, "You Inuyasha were told that you can be with this pack. You are not pack yet. You must prove your worth to our alpha's when they return. So, your request is denied. We will not let you interfere in what is going to happen this night. Sit there and be quiet or I will plaster another ofuda on your mouth to keep you quiet."

Inuyasha growled and settled down. He couldn't break Miroku's spell so he couldn't go after the wench. He has lost her to his brother and it was his fault. He should have known that Kagome will never submit to someone who was already mated to another female.

Miroku went and sat down by the wall of the hut while Sango and Rin finished the evening meal, when they were done cooking they all ate their meal. They will wait for their alphas to come back and when they returned they will find out what they were going to do.

They were both wondering what kind of changes Kagome will undergo when she mated Sesshoumaru. Her father did say that she will turn the same as her mate. They couldn't wait for her to come back so they could see what she looked like.

Shippou turned to the half breed as an evil smile came over his lips, "Mama will be mated to Sesshoumaru come morning. They will be a true alpha pair and she will be my mother again. She will forever be out of your reach. She deserves to be happy after what you put her through."

Inuyasha growled at the kit, "What do you mean by that! I didn't do anything to the wench but protect her while we were out searching for the jewel shards and this is how she repays me by going with my hated brother."

Inuyasha then found himself being pinned to the ground with a red eyed kit looking at him. "How dare you! You go fuck that dead bitch and leave my mother on her own to protect herself. You left her to gather food for the pack and to take care of us. You were never alpha of our pack, it is my mother who is alpha.

"Plus, you will never be able to subdue her she is much too powerful. You have not been able to subdue her and you never will. The only one powerful enough to subdue her will be Sesshoumaru. He is the most powerful alpha alive."

Inuyasha was about to retort when he felt the kits claws dig into his neck. He hissed in pain as Sango said to the kit, "Beta male, the alpha female will not be happy if you kill him. Let him be for now, when the alpha's come back they can deal with him."

Sango was smart, she was using his title as beta to stop Shippou from killing Inuyasha. She knew that he would if the half-breed continued to taunt the kit.

Shippou released the half-breed while he growled and moved away. The alpha will not be please with him if he hurt the jerk. He left Inuyasha alone and moved to the other side of the hut. It was going to be a long night with the hanyou in the same hut as them.

Then to Sango and Miroku's horror and the kits delight, they noticed that Inuyasha was not moving or saying anything at all. Miroku moved closer and looked at Inuyasha to see what was wrong. He didn't notice anything out of the ordinary but a small scratch on the hanyou's neck. He turned towards Shippou and asked, "Shippou do you have poison in your claws?"

Shippou looked away from the hanyou and smiled wide. There was a twinkle in his eyes when he said, "No I don't have poison that will kill in my claws. But what I do have is a type of poison that immobilizes my enemies until I can kill them. That is why the hanyou can't move right now."

Miroku was impressed, he had no idea that Shippou could do that. It was a pleasant surprise to have the hanyou subdued like this. "Great job Shippou, now we don't have to listen to his mouth for the rest of the night. You should use it more often."

Shippou laughed then smiled at his friends. They sat down, ate, and then rested for the rest of the night. It was going to be a long night with the alpha out mating. He just hoped that his mother will not fight too hard and will mate Sesshoumaru.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru walked out of the hut with his mate in his arms. It was now time for him to claim his female. He couldn't wait any more since his beast has taken partial control of his body. His powers were being released to fend off any Youkai that thought to take his mate away from him.

On this night, other weaker males will lie in wait for a pair that was getting ready to mate. The male would have already battled the female and she would be weak so she could not defend herself against these males. If they attacked, they could take the female and mate them before she knew what was going on. He would not let this happen to his mate.

He formed his ball of light and held on to his little miko, then he took off into the air. He was heading west to a special place that only he knew about. It was a place that his father showed him centuries ago, a place where he himself mated his females.

This place was in the heart of the western territory. He was approaching the high mountains to his lands, while he made a beeline straight to a gorge in the middle of them. He went down into the gorge as a barrier opened to allow him entry. This place was sacred to his kind because every male of the royal family came here to mate their female.

The power that he would release during his mating will go into the lands to fortify and keep it healthy. His father's power has been keeping the lands safe since his death. Now that he has found a female of his own it was time for him to add his powers to the lands.

Sesshoumaru finally landed in his ancestral den. The torches were lit the moment he entered the cave. He looked around the area and sniffed, he noticed that everything was as it should be. Nothing has been touched and no one has been in this cave.

He quickly made his way over to the bed chamber. The torches lit the moment he entered. He placed his mate down on the soft furs and then quickly striped out of his kimono. It was time for him to claim what was his. He walked over to a stone pillar that was in the middle of the room, placing his hand on it, he started to say his incantation. This spell will keep his mate in this chamber until the mating was done.

Once that was done he made his way over to the futon where his mate was located. He laid down next to her and moved her closer to his body. He looked upon her perfect features, then his hand touched her cheek to gently caress it. He saw her move closer to his touch as a warm smile came to his lips. His female wanted more contact with him and he was willing to give it to her in spades.

Slowly Sesshoumaru's eyes started to turn red while he caressed her cheeks. His desires for his females will soon be realized when he made her his mate. He continued with what he was doing when he noticed that his female was starting to wake up.

Kagome felt that someone was caressing her cheeks. The touch was soft and gentle when she moved closer to the warmth she was feeling. Slowly she opened her eyes as they came into focus. She noticed that Sesshoumaru was next to her when she moved closer to him. She was worried about him because his eyes were red, meaning Maru was in control.

She moved her arm up, while holding him around his waist and noticed that he had no haori on. Her fingers moved up and down his skin when she felt him shiver with want and desire. "Sesshoumaru, is everything all right?"

Sesshoumaru arousal went through the roof when his female caressed his markings. They were very sensitive to the touch. He heard her question and answered, "Yes, Koi everything is fine."

Kagome closed her eyes, she was happy that everything was fine with her mate. His hands were moving down her body and it was making her hot with desire. To her it seemed that they were in their dream world where her Sesshoumaru would show her love and affection.

Sesshoumaru could not wait any longer as his hands moved on their own. Slowly his head lowers and captures her lips with his. They were soft and smooth to the touch as his tongue came out and gently caressed her bottom lip asking for entrance. His mate complied with what he wanted, whereas his tongue explored her heated cavern.

She tasted wonderful like strawberries and vanilla with a touch of spice. It was warm and velvety soft, it made his head spin with the softness of her cavern. He couldn't get enough of her taste as the kiss turned passionate.

Kagome's head was swimming as the passionate kiss turned into something more and she was taken to a place she has never been before. Before she knew what was going on her mate was making love to her and claiming her as his mate.

-oOo-

Kagome fell forward and was breathing hard, that was the most intense climax she has ever had, she felt Sesshoumaru moving them into another position then he turned her to cuddle into his chest. She was still breathing hard, but then she felt as something took over her body, she turned her head and then bit down on his chest. She heard her male growl and then howled in pleasure as she was drinking his blood. When she was done she then pulled her fangs out of his chest as her tongue went over his wound to close it.

Kagome watched as her mark was forming on her mate's chest. It was the sign of the Shikon with a leaf underneath it. In the middle of the Shikon she noticed a small crescent moon forming there as well. She yawned, she was tired from what they just finished doing, closing her eyes she fell asleep.

Sesshoumaru was breathing hard. He never expected his mate to mark him as hers. When she bit him, there was another power rush that went into his body as he seemed to get even stronger. He looked down to see his mate finally asleep, then he noticed the mark she left on his chest. It was her mark and it was fitting, the union of the Shikon miko with the Western Lord, plus her status as Konokarei daughter was also on his chest.

He held his female even closer to his chest and brought the furs up to cover them. He finally gave a big yawn as he fell asleep with his mate in his arms.

-oOo-

Across the lands every Youkai knew that a powerful male just mated a powerful female. They could feel the power wash across the lands as they looked on in amazement. The trees were growing stronger, grass was growing taller, new plant life was sprouting up all over the lands.

They noticed that the power was coming from the West and they now knew that the Western Lord must have taken a mate.

The power was so great that even those in Edo, noticed when it washed across the lands.

Shippou head snapped up when he felt the power surge. He was on his feet in an instant when he went outside to see what was going on. The rest of the pack felt it as well as they all rushed outside.

The pack stood there as they saw the power wash across the lands. When it touched Inuyasha's forest they noticed right away that the trees grew taller. New ones were growing at an alarming rate, flowers were coming up from the ground, as the group look on in awe.

Sango was the first to come out of her shock, "What is going on? Where is this power coming from?"

Shippou sniffed the air and then he looked around the area. He heard Sango's question and answered, "It is done."

Both Miroku and Sango were confused as Miroku asked, "What is done?" They both waited for the kit to tell them what was going on.

Shippou took a deep breath and continued with what he was saying, "Mother and Lord Sesshoumaru have finally mated. The power that you feel going across the lands is the power that they released when they finally came to their end and Sesshoumaru marked my mother as his mate.

"Sesshoumaru is a Lord and he will have a den somewhere in the middle of his territory that is used just for mating. The power that he released when he finally took my mother would go back into the lands to keep it protected and safe. It also proves that he is Lord of the lands that he protects.

"But with him mating my mother her powers were added to the lands along with Sesshoumaru's. She is the reason why everything is growing so fast. You will notice that there will be new vegetation in the area, along with new herbs and flowers, plus the fields around the village have grown as well to provide more food for everyone. You can see the trees have already reacted to her as they grew in height and grew stronger. I will bet that by morning there will be more trees in the area."

Sango and Miroku couldn't believe what they were told. All this happened because Sesshoumaru mated with Kagome? They never knew that things like this could happen in a mating. Of course, they didn't know that many things about Youkai so they were learning as they were going along.

They both came out of their musing when they heard the kit continue, "But the strange thing is that their power is spreading all over the lands. The mating was not confined to the Western lands. It is going all over to the other territories as well. This means that my mother and Sesshoumaru are the supreme rulers for all the lands and they will all have to bow down to them, including the other Lords."

Miroku and Sango were shocked to hear this, "Shippou why would the other Lords have to bow down to our alphas?"

Shippou turned his green eyes towards his pack and friends, "Because Sesshoumaru mated my mother, who is a demigoddess and daughter to the guardian of the lands, she rules the lands along with her father. Sesshoumaru now shares that responsibility with Kagome. If the other Lords cross Kagome in anyway or they hurt Sesshoumaru the Youkai in the lands will suffer because she will take away what they need most, their food.

"The lands will not die but the lands will react to what the other Youkai are doing with the new ruling pair. They will protect Kagome and Sesshoumaru no matter what. To anger the earth is like sending the wrath of the Kami's down from the heavens. I'm sure that the Youkai of these lands will learn that lesson quickly. It will only take one to be made the example and the others will follow suit."

Miroku and Sango agreed with Shippou they have seen firsthand what Kagome has as far as powers and she can control all the elements of the earth and its poisons. You really don't want to get her mad at you, an angry Kagome was a dangerous one.

-oOo-

Inside the hut a hanyou was paying attention to what was being said outside. His ears lowered to his head when he heard the kit say that Sesshoumaru has finally mated Kagome. Now she was out of his reach, if Sesshoumaru mated Kagome and marked her, she was lost to him. He will never be able to claim her as his mate because if one died so will the other.

He should have known that this would happen if he went with Kikyou. Kagome has stated a hundred times that she will never be interested in a mated male. It went against everything that was taught to her. Her mother made sure that she instilled those teaching into her daughter. Plus, he couldn't get over the fact that she was Konokarei daughter. He never really paid attention to her powers before. If he had he would have seen that she was a powerful female, more powerful than Kikyou ever was.

He closed his eyes as he went to sleep, come morning the alphas will be back and he must deal with them. He was not looking forward to that at all, he could be banished from the pack for what he did and he knew it. He sighed when he finally relaxed and fell asleep.

-oOo-

The next morning Kagome was the first to stir. Her breathing was picking up and then she slowly opened her eyes. She saw creamy white skin with magenta stripes going around the chest. She noticed a mark on the chest that she didn't remember being there before. It had a leaf with the Shikon No Tama on top of it and in the middle of the Tama there was a crescent moon. She wondered where this came from when she started to move.

She felt pain in her lower region and moaned. At that moment, she heard Sesshoumaru growl low and gentle for her as it seemed to take her pain away. She looked up in time to see his eyes opening.

Sesshoumaru awoke the moment that his mates breathing pattern changed. He stayed still to see what his mate was going to do. He felt fingers on his chest as they traced his markings. Then he felt when his female fingered her mark on his chest. It sent a rush of heat through his body as his manhood started to get hard all over again.

Then he felt his mate moan in pain, he growled to try and help her. He opened his eyes then looked at his mate. He was worried about her, "Mate are you all right?"

Kagome was calming down from her pain when she heard what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. She could hear the concern in his voice and answered, "Yes mate I'm fine now. I'm just a little sore that's all."

Kagome was thinking hard when she felt the pain between her legs. She thought that the mating she had with Sesshoumaru happened in their dream world so why was she feeling pain in the real world. She was confused, she looked up at her mate and asked, "Where are we Sesshoumaru? Are we in our dream world or the real one?"

Sesshoumaru was not best pleased that his female thought that they were in their dream world. "Mate we are in the real world. Currently we are located deep in the western territories in the mating cave of my ancestors. We mated last night. I told you that I wanted our first time together to be in the real world and that happened last night. You are my mate from now until the end of time. We will be together for all eternity."

Kagome was shocked, she had no idea that she was still in the waking world when she mated Sesshoumaru. Tears started to form in her eyes when she asked, "You mean that you are mine? And I am yours… forever?"

Sesshoumaru didn't know what was going on with his mate and answered with a simple, "Yes mate."

Kagome got a burst of energy whilst she kissed her mate senseless. She wound up on top of his body, and then she had her way with him. She was in love and horny as hell. Forget about the fact that she was sore, she wanted her mate and she was going to have him. She started to make love to his body and then she got everything that she ever wanted from her male.

Sesshoumaru for his part was worried about his mate. He didn't know what was going thru her mind when he was pushed back on the futon with his mate on his chest. She was kissing him senseless, when a growl left his chest and enjoyed what his mate was doing to him. He forgot about what they were talking about as his mate took him to new levels of ecstasy. They made love for the rest of the morning until they were both sedated.

Once their passion died down Sesshoumaru took his female into the heated hot springs that was attached to the mating chambers. They bathed each other with ease as their heated touches turned into something more.

It was late in the afternoon before the couple left the mating chambers, Sesshoumaru formed his youki cloud under his feet and took off with his mate. He had his mate dressed in a white hakama and haori, similar in style to what he was wearing. It fit her perfectly as he held his mate around her waist and traveled back to the pack.

Sesshoumaru was surprised by his mate's changes. She now had his crescent moon on her forehead and pointed ears like him. She had one magenta crest on each side of her cheek. Her hair was longer than before but she kept the same hair color of black, red, and silver. He loved her changes and there was no doubt that she was his mate.

His brother will finally see that his mate was out of his reach. Now he was wondering what he has done since they left the village last night. He wouldn't put it past Inuyasha to cause a scene and try to go after him. If he knew the kit well, he would have stopped him along with his mate's pack. They will not put up with such foolishness when he tried to go after his mate.

The kit knew what last night was, he knew that he would mate his mother to bring her fully into his pack and make her his alpha female. That meant that the kit will have his mother back and they both would be happy again. He couldn't wait to get back to see what was going to happen with the two of them.

Kagome was just relaxing against Sesshoumaru. It was a wonderful surprise that she woke up to this morning. She was now mated to Sesshoumaru and she couldn't be happier. She knew when she attacked her mate this morning that she was taking him by surprise, and surprised he was. She had her way with him when she showed him such pleasures that he never experienced before. By the time, she was done they were both out of breath and perfectly sedated.

She snuggled closer to her mate whilst she closed her eyes and rested. When they arrived back at the village she knew she would have to deal with Inuyasha. She was sure that he acted up last night and that the pack had to subdue him. This was not going to be a pleasant thing to do. She really didn't want anything to upset her but she knew that she couldn't be that lucky.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome arrived back at the village by late afternoon. Kagome noticed the difference in the area and she was shocked. Everything was lush and green. The forest was denser and the fields held more food for the villagers. She noticed flowers growing in the area that were never there before.

She was wondering what caused the changes, then she turned to her mate and asked, "Sesshoumaru why has the land changed? I mean there are more trees, flowers, and grass than when we left this area. There are flowers growing that never grew here before, so what has changed?"

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his mate. He was expecting this question since they started to travel back to the village. He noticed the changes in the lands from their mating. The lands were cared for and it reacted to their joining. "What changed my miko is our mating. When we mated, the lands reacted to it. Once we reached our peaks together we released the powers that we hold. It goes back into the lands to protect and nourish it. Everything takes on a new life, the trees get stronger, new flowers grow along with new herbs that have not been seen before. But this only happened because I mated you. Since you are Konokarei daughter you gave the lands some much needed power. Now the lands will take care of the people that live on it."

Kagome was blown away by what her mate was saying to her. She never knew all of this would happen when they mated.

Kagome concentrated on the lands then she felt that their powers encompassed the entire lands, the lands were giving her their thanks for the energy she bestowed upon them. She thought this strange as she turned back to her mate, "Sesshoumaru… not only did your lands received the powers that we released when we mated but the rest of the lands as well. What is going to happen with the rest of the Lords of these lands? Are they going to take offense that we nourished their lands as well?"

Sesshoumaru was blown away by what his mate was telling him. This has only happened once before and that was when his father was alive and mated his mother. Even though he never marked her as a mate when he released his powers it went all over the lands. That is why he was known as the Inu No Taisho, the Great Dog General of the lands. He ruled supreme over all the lands.

He thought about this for a few seconds as this information finally sunk into his mind. He then turned to his mate, he was then able to answer her questions, "They will not do anything mate. It means that we rule all the lands as I have finally reached my father's level in power. My Youkai and your powers are embedded into the lands to keep it safe. We will be able to tell if something is wrong and can react to the threat before it gets out of hand.

"Plus, I know that the lands will tell you if they sense a threat to you. They are protective of you and they don't want to lose you to anything on these lands." Kagome understood what her mate was telling her. She felt connected to the lands and they were grateful that she was here on this earth to help it.

They both turned as they were slowly approaching the village. They noticed that the pack was outside waiting for them when they landed in front of Kaede's hut. Kagome could tell that something was wrong by the looks on their faces and what it was she was not going to like.

-oOo-

The pack has been waiting most of the day for the alphas to return. It has been a stressful morning because of Inuyasha. He has been a pain in their side wanting to be let loose before the alphas got back. No matter how many times they told him that they will not release him he became that much more combative.

Finally, after lunch Shippou stuck his nose in the air and stated, "The alphas are returning."

The pack went outside to greet them. They noticed when the alphas landed on the ground in front of Kaede's hut. They could see the concern look in Kagome's eyes as they all kneeled and bared their necks in submission to the alphas.

Sesshoumaru for his part knew that something was not right when he didn't see his brother. He growled his upset, "Kit… where is the half-breed?"

Shippou stood and stated to his alpha, "Inuyasha tried to go after you when you left last night. He wanted to get to Kagome so he could mate with her. We restrained him in the hut with ofuda's, and he has been demanding to be set free prior to your return."

Sesshoumaru understood all too well and gave a nod in understanding. He then ordered the kit to release the half breed, so his issues could be addressed.

Shippou didn't waste any time, he leaped from his position and entered the hut. He approached the hanyou, he took his claws and took a swipe at the ofuda that was on his chest. He slashed them in half destroying the ofuda and said, "The alpha wants to speak to you."

Inuyasha slowly got up off the ground, he was not happy about going to see his brother. He had nothing to say to him now that he has taken his miko away from him. He slowly made his way out of the hut and went to face the alpha of his pack.

He stopped a short distance away from his brother and looked at the female that he wanted as a mate. He could see her changes and he now knew that she was fully mated to his brother. He didn't say a word nor did he submit to his brother, he just stood there waiting to see what he was going to say to him.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru noticed the way his brother was walking out of the hut. He had control issues and the way he looked at his mate made his own beast stand up and take noticed. He noticed out of the corner of his eye that his mate was about to say something to the hanyou but he growled at her, saying to stand down that he will handle his brother.

Kagome didn't like the way that Inuyasha was looking at her and she was about to lay into him. She heard her mates request and backed down. He was right, as alpha it was his right to deal with the members of the pack when they became unruly.

Sesshoumaru was happy when his mate let him handle his brother. He knew that she wanted to go after him but it was his right, as her mate, to deal with the little fool. He stood tall and stated, "I was told that you wanted to come after me last night Inuyasha, for what reason would you risk my wrath and interfere with my mating to my miko? You were there yesterday when her father gave his permission for me to take her as my mate, yet you still wanted to interfere with what was happening last night, why is that?"

Inuyasha heard his brother's words and he was pissed to high heaven, yes, he heard when her father gave his permission for Sesshoumaru to take his female as a mate. He never knew that she had a father but at the same time he really didn't care, she was his to begin with, "You had no right to take her as your mate. She was my alpha female and you walked into my pack and took it over. What right do you have to come into my pack and just take it from me?"

Sesshoumaru was getting angrier by the minute when he heard the foolishness that his brother was sprouting out of his mouth. On top of that he could feel his mate's anger getting the better of her. He took his hand when his whip came out and hit his brother on his chest. He sent his brother flying across the ground as he landed on his back.

Sesshoumaru was on him and had his hand wrapped around his throat, while he said in a deadly voice, "You little bastard! What gives you the right to say that you were ever alpha of this pack? You never cared about anything but that dead bitch that cursed and used you to get what she wanted. You pushed this loving and caring miko off to the side and never cared if she was hurt by your actions.

"When she finally had enough she left on her own and the rest of the pack followed her. They knew who the true alpha was and never abandoned her like you did night after night. You have tried several times to subdue her and never could.

"Now she is my mate and she is beyond your reach. Her pack is now a part of mine, as for you, you have a choice to make. Will you be a productive member of this pack or will you continue with your behavior and force my hand to cast you out of my pack, never to return? The choice is yours."

Inuyasha heard everything that his brother said to him and he had a point. He was never alpha of his pack, Kagome was. He always thought that she would always be there for him no matter what, after all she did promise to stay by his side. He never even thought that she would get tired of what he was doing and leave him to strike out on her own.

He didn't want to be alone. It was a feeling that he never wanted to feel ever again. It was a lonely existence and he enjoyed the friends that he had. He lowered his eyes as he exposed his neck to his brother accepting him as alpha.

Sesshoumaru noticed what his brother did. It pleased him that he chose to stay with the pack and accepted him as alpha. He released him then he stood up and waited for his brother to finish his submission.

Inuyasha felt when his brother let him go. He stood up, then he walked forward and nuzzled his brother on his neck and gently licked him accepting him fully as his alpha.

Sesshoumaru was please, very pleased that his brother was finally growing up and accepting responsibility to be a part of the whole. His issues with his mate were no more as he turned and pulled his mate to his side.

The pack was happy that Inuyasha was finally acting like a member of the pack. He accepted Sesshoumaru as his alpha and now the pack was whole once more.

Shippou for his part was happy that the hanyou has finally settled down. He turned his attention to his mother as he approached his alpha and kneeled in front of him, barring his neck.

Sesshoumaru noticed when the kit approached him. He knew what the kit needed and he knew that his mate needed this as well. He nodded for him to approach and then gave a gentle nod, approving for him to say his peace to his mother.

Shippou was happy when the alpha gave him permission to talk to his mother. He turned his attention to her, his voice when he spoke was full of untapped raw emotion for his mother and would crack every time he spoke, "Mama, now that you are Sesshoumaru's mate you are now my mother again. I hope that you can forgive me for what I did and will accept me as your son once more." He kneeled in front of his mother and barred his neck to her in submission, asking for forgiveness.

Kagome heard what her kit said to her. She never realized that once she mated Sesshoumaru that Shippou would be her kit once more. She didn't have to worry about any other Youkai attacking him for mating rights. She looked at her mate when she saw him give her a gentle nod. He understood her so well, then she gave him a brilliant smile.

She turned her attention to her kit as she opened her arms and called his name.

Shippou upon hearing his mother call to him looked towards her and noticed that her arms were opened to him. He rushed into her arms and he held her close to his body and cried. You could hear him saying, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry mama… please forgive me."

Kagome just held on to her kit then she gently growled to calm him down. "I understand why you did it Shippou, and I know that everything happens for a reason. But now we are back together and you will always be my little kit." She held on to her kit for a few more minutes, she let go of him and kissed his forehead, before she stepped away from him.

Sesshoumaru looked on with love in his eyes. His mate was the perfect mother to the pups of the pack. Even when they were grown she was still the perfect mother and was there to help her pups no matter how old they were. If they needed comfort from her she gave it to them, no questions asked.

Once the kit and miko separated he moved forward and grabbed his mate. He then turned his attention to his pack. "Get everything ready we are leaving to go to the Western Lands. Once at my shiro the pack will stay together as I assign you to your new duties. Training will continue every morning to make sure we don't lose our fighting cohesiveness."

Everyone understood what the alpha was saying, they went about packing up their things, as they got ready to move to the western shiro. Kagome took this time to talk to Kaede, she was going to miss the old miko and it was breaking her heart. She knew that she could come back and see the old miko but it wouldn't be the same. Her home now was with Sesshoumaru and she will miss the old miko that she thought of as her grandmother.

As the pack was getting ready to leave no one noticed that a member of the pack was missing from the group.

Once everyone was ready Kagome gave a fond farewell to Kaede. She wished that she could take her with her but she knew that she had a duty to perform here at the village.

Sesshoumaru looked around as the pack gathered together. His little mate was saying her farewells to the old miko. He noticed that there was someone missing from the group and he didn't like it. He never noticed that Jaken was gone from the area, as a matter of fact he has not seen him since the battle began.

Sesshoumaru lifted his nose into the air and looked for his scent. He was nowhere in the village and this did not sit well with him. He called his brother to him and gave him his orders to return to the battle area and look to see if he was there and injured.

Inuyasha understood his brother's orders as he took off into the forest. He made it back to the battle field in record time and looked for the little kappa. He never really liked that kappa but his brother could not in good conscious leave this area if a member of his pack was missing.

Inuyasha sniffed the area when he found the kappa's trail. He followed it into the forest and he was wondering where the green idiot was going. He followed his scent for a while and then noticed that he was heading west. He knew this was not good, it meant that the kappa abandoned his Lord in the middle of a battle and went back to the west.

Inuyasha turned and hurried on his way. He had to report back to his brother. He arrived back at the village as the group was getting ready to leave the village. He approached his brother and reported what he had found.

Sesshoumaru listened to what his brother was saying to him. He didn't like that Jaken abandoned the pack in the middle of a battle. That he had returned to the west was even worse as he gave a low and vicious growl. He said his thanks to his brother for the information, he turned to his mate and stated, "Come it is time that we head west. There is something that I must take care of when we reach the shiro."

Kagome noticed how angry her mate was when she approached him. His eyes were going red as she asked, "Sesshoumaru? What's wrong?"

Sesshoumaru was having a hard time controlling his beast. He wanted to be set free so he could go after the traitorous kappa. He abandoned his pack in the middle of a battle and that was an act that was unforgivable. It is punishable by death, and right now Sesshoumaru's beast wanted the kappa's head.

Sesshoumaru heard his mates question, she was worried about him when he turned red eyes towards his mate.

Kagome noticing the shade of her mate's eyes moved closer to him, and bared her neck in submission. She knew that this was the best way to get him back to normal.

Sesshoumaru grabbed his mate and he moved her closer to his chest. His nose was buried into her neck while he took in her scent. Finally, Sesshoumaru was getting control of his beast and calmed down.

Once he was in control he answered his mate's question. Kagome for her part was not surprised that the kappa left the battle field. He was worthless, that's why he could never protect Rin when he was left in charge of her, plus the fact that he hated humans.

Kagome sighed, it was going to be a stressful journey back to the west. She didn't have a good feeling about all of this. She knew that they were going to have problems when they arrived back at the shiro.

Inuyasha watched as the pack was getting ready to leave. He was so focused on what was going on around him that he never noticed the person approaching him from behind. He felt a push when he took an involuntary step forward. He turned to curse the person that pushed him when he came face to face with a large neko.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Sesshoumaru has finally taken Kagome as his mate and finally noticed that Jaken was gone from the village. Inuyasha has finally learned to be a part of the whole than be a rebellious hanyou that will be on his own for the rest of his life if he did not conform as a pack member.

For any of you that want to read this chapter as it was originally written you will need to go to /fanfiction/story/10454/30, make sure you add the http/www. in front to get to the site. You got the watered-down version of the mating because of the rules to this site.

Well we are getting close to the end of this story, only two more chapters left.

Join me in the next chapter as we find out what Sesshoumaru does to Jaken for abandoning the pack in the middle of a battle and what the shiro thinks of Sesshoumaru's new mate.

Until the next time

Ja ne!


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Kirara saw her friend standing off to the side looking like he was lost. She already had the monk and her mistress on her back, she decided that she was missing one more person and made her way over to her hanyou friend.

She hits his back to get his attention and when he turns around she then rubs her head against his chest, while she purrs. She didn't stop until she got what she wanted from Inuyasha which was an ear rub and a gentle growl from him.

Inuyasha was surprised to see Kirara standing behind him, she bumped his chest again with her head and purred. He knew what she wanted whilst he scratched the area behind her ear. The giant neko purred her delight when he stopped and stepped away from her.

Kirara noticed when Inuyasha was about to walk away from her, she grabbed his sleeve to prevent him from leaving the area. She growled at her friend, then Inuyasha heard a female voice say, "She is offering you a ride Inuyasha, will you accept her offer?" Sango stated while she eyed the hanyou with curiosity.

Inuyasha heard her words when his ears lowered and said, "You still want me to travel with you with everything that I have done?"

Sango sighed, she hated to see Inuyasha this way. It was not his fault that the bitch put him under a spell to get what she wanted, "Inuyasha we all know that the dead bitch cast a dark spell on you, to make you act the way you did. You never wanted to listen to anyone talk ill about the corpse. That was your downfall. You lost Kagome because of Kikyou but you still have us as friends because you chose correctly and submitted to our alpha. We are pack, Inuyasha, and pack always stay together."

Inuyasha listened to what Sango was saying and she was right. He has been blind for a long time to what was going on around him because of Kikyou. He never noticed that she was slowly pulling him away from his friends.

He felt another bump on his chest and Kirara growled at him. He got the hint and jumped on behind the monk, the giant feline jumped into the air and was following the alphas to the western shiro.

Inuyasha for the first time in his life felt like he was a part of something. He had a family that wanted him and he was happy about where he was. Too bad he had to lose the most precious thing in his life but there was nothing that he could do about it now. He still had his friends and Kagome was still near him in case he needed her advice on things.

He knew that being with his brother was not going to be easy but he was surprised when his brother didn't banish him from the lands or his pack. Maybe he has been wrong all this time about his brother. He never really listened to him when Sesshoumaru talked to him, he was always too angry to listen. But now he had no choice but to listen when he gave him orders. He could learn a lot about his brother if he just paid attention to what he does.

Inuyasha liked this idea, he settled back and enjoyed the ride going to the west. He did notice one thing before they left the village. His brother was upset at not finding the kappa. If that little green snot abandoned his brother's pack in the middle of a battle he knew he will be dead by his brother's hand. You never leave pack behind or in danger if you could help them, and Jaken was about to learn that lesson the hard way.

Inuyasha knew it would take a few days to reach the western shiro and by the time his brother got home he will be ready to kill the kappa for what he has done.

Inuyasha didn't know how right he was as the group continued to head west.

Sesshoumaru was anything but calm and his anger was great for the kappa abandoning his position in a battle. It was desertion and he was going to deal with the pain in his side once he found him. He made sure to keep his anger at bay because he didn't want to upset his little mate. She had enough to deal with and her getting upset because of him was not his intension.

So, the pack continued moving west and once they got there, is when the fires of hell will be delivered to one smart mouth kappa.

-oOo-

Jaken has been traveling hard for the past few days. He was heading back towards the western shiro and he was in a hurry to get there.

Imagine his surprise to wake up in the middle of a heated battle. He ran and hid behind a tree while he observed that wench's pack battling Naraku's minions. He had to duck several times, if not he would have lost his head as Youkai were attacking him. He noticed when that wench took out Kagura and Kanna. Then the hanyou shows up and he is fighting the hordes of Youkai along with the wench's pack.

Once the Youkai were all gone he thought that it was safe to come out of his hiding place. He started to make his way towards the rest of the ningens when Naraku showed up. He was scared shitless. He was almost purified by that wench and took off going west. He was going home and no one was going to stop him.

Finally, after 3 days of traveling he made it to the shiro when he ran past the gate guards. The guards looked at him oddly wondering what was wrong with the crazy kappa. They waited to see if their Lord was coming but there was no sign of him. They sent word to their general informing him of what has happened.

Eiji was moving quickly through the shiro. He was on a mission to find Jaken. He had to know where his Lord was located and if he needed help. It was not like Jaken to come back to the shiro without their Lord. The kappa was attached to the Lord's hip and wherever Sesshoumaru went so did the kappa.

Eiji finally made it to Jaken's bed chambers. He could hear the kappa moving around his room and he was cursing. He didn't know what was going on but he was determined to find out.

He entered Jaken's rooms when he observed the kappa gathering his things. Now he knew something was wrong because the kappa was trying to leave the western lands. He cleared his throat and asked, "Jaken, where is Lord Sesshoumaru?" Eiji had the satisfaction of seeing the kappa jump about 3 feet in the air when he finally turned to look at him.

Jaken was busy gathering up his things. He was going to leave the shiro before his Lord came home. He knew that what he did was looked down upon but ever since that wench merged her pack with his Lord's nothings has been going right for him. He had no idea how his Lord got to be so small, his Lord was depending on that wench to protect him when he should have depended on him to protect him. He was more than capable in protecting his Lord plus it would have been an honor to do so.

Jaken was so deep in thought that he didn't hear anyone come into his room until he heard a voice demanding to know where his Lord was located. He jumped in fright when he turned to see who was speaking to him in such a tone of voice. He was surprised to see Eiji standing inside his room, he got himself together and said in a deadly voice, "How dare you enter my chambers without my approval!"

Eiji was not fazed by the kappa when he asked again, "Where is Lord Sesshoumaru? You are always with him and you never leave his side for anything. What has happened that you have come back to the shiro without our Lord and why are you now packing to leave?"

Jaken just paled and didn't say anything to the Inu general. He didn't have to answer his questions but he knew that he had to get out of here. He turned and grabbed the bag he filled with his things and started to leave.

Eiji didn't like being ignored and when he saw the kappa trying to leave he knew he did something that he shouldn't have. He was leaving to avoid his Lord and that was unacceptable to him.

He grabbed Jaken by the back of his robes and lifted him up off the floor. He growled stating, "You are not going anywhere, you will stay here until our Lord returns to the shiro and then he will pass judgment on what you have done. I know that you did something because you would not be leaving the shiro if you didn't. Whatever it is I'm sure that the Lord will give you your just rewards."

Jaken paled when he heard what Eiji was saying to him. There was no way he was staying here and waiting for his Lord to come back. "Let go of me! I have business elsewhere and you can't keep me here. Plus, our Lord will not be returning any time soon. He is in no condition to return to the shiro yet."

This caught Eiji interest, then he asked in a deadly voice, "What has happened to him?"

Jaken refused to answer him and the Inu got mad. He then turned taking the kappa with him, he was heading towards the front of the shiro. He yelled for some guards as they came running to his location. Once they were there he said, "Take this idiot and put him in the dungeons. There he will wait for our Lord to return."

Jaken was having none of it, while he tried to get out of Eiji hold. It did no good as the guards grabbed the kappa and took him to the dungeons. They heard the kappa's threats for manhandling him but they didn't care. They were all tired of the kappa's lack of respect for their general and their Lord. They knew he did something that their Lord will kill him for and they couldn't wait for his return.

They reached a cell in the dungeon as they opened the door and threw the kappa into it. They closed the cell door and left him alone. He was cursing up a storm while he demanded to be released. They all knew that his days were numbered once their Lord returned to the shiro.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru and his pack have been traveling for 3 days now. They were nearing the shiro and the closer they got the redder Sesshoumaru's eyes turned. He could tell that Jaken was still in the shiro and his soldiers have taken care to make sure he stayed there. He must reward them once he got his hands on the kappa.

He started to growl low in his throat whilst his beast was getting ready to take control.

Kagome upon hearing that her mate was growling turned towards him, she growled low in her throat. She brought his attention back to her as she asked, "Sesshoumaru what's wrong?"

Sesshoumaru stopped his growling, he turned his attention to his mate and stated, "Jaken is at the shiro and my soldiers have made sure that he did not leave the shiro until I returned home."

Kagome understood what her mate was telling her, she sighed and stated, "Please… just don't lose control over Maru. I know that you will deal with the kappa once we get there."

Sesshoumaru understood what his mate was telling him. She wanted him to stay in control and show everyone why he was Lord. He must handle this carefully because this will be an object lesson for everyone.

The group was on the final approach to the shiro. Sesshoumaru lowered the barrier around his shiro as everyone flew through it and then it was put back in place. Once they all landed Sesshoumaru stood tall while he waited for his general to approach.

Eiji was moving quickly when he stopped and bowed to his Lord. He noticed Sesshoumaru nod towards him, he rose to his feet and stated, "Welcome back my Lord. I was told that it would be some time before you returned to the shiro."

Sesshoumaru's eyebrow went up into his bangs, then he asked, "Who told you this?"

Eiji noticed the red that was starting to seep into his Lord's eyes. Now he knew that Jaken did something that his Lord would kill him for, "Jake told me that you would not be returning to the shiro for a while longer. But he would not say why you wouldn't return. I thought it best to keep him here since he was trying to leave the shiro before you arrived back, my Lord."

Sesshoumaru was very pleased when he asked, "Where is Jaken now?"

"He is in the dungeons my Lord." Eiji reported but kept his eyes on his Lord. He noticed the gleam in his eyes while he waited for his orders.

Sesshoumaru was please that they have detained the kappa. "Very well General bring Jaken to the grand audience chambers and I will deal with him there." Sesshoumaru then turned to his pack and said over his shoulder, "I want all of you to come with me."

Sesshoumaru moved heading inside his shiro. The pack followed closely behind their alpha as they entered a large room. To the front, they noticed two chairs that were sitting up higher than the rest of the room as Sesshoumaru stepped up and extended his hand towards his mate.

Kagome was looking all over the shiro whilst she followed her mate. The shiro was beautiful and it held so much history in it. When they got to the grand audience chambers her eyes went wide. It was beautiful, she noticed all the paintings lining both sides of the room. She recognized Sesshoumaru's father when she walked by and then stopped when her mate climbed the two steps up to the dais. She noticed his hand and placed her hand inside his much larger one and was pulled to stand by his side.

Once Sesshoumaru had his mate by his side he stated to the rest of the pack. "Your place is standing behind us on the dais. Once the prisoner is brought in you will all observer the judgment that is passed down."

Kagome turned to her mate, "Sesshoumaru, does Rin have to be here with Shippou?"

Sesshoumaru turned towards his mate, she had concerns about her pups but Shippou was an adult now and he must be treated as such, "I will let Rin go to her room but the kit must stay and see what is about to happen."

Kagome lowered her head while she agreed and Sesshoumaru summoned a servant to take Rin to her room.

Sesshoumaru then took his seat next to his mate, he nodded to the guards by the doors. They opened the doors and they escorted the kappa into the grand audience chambers.

Jaken was forced out of the dungeons and when he asked where they were taking him, the guards never answered his questions. He was struggling in their grasp when they dropped him on the floor, he growled at them for their treatment of his person.

Jaken looked towards the front and he noticed that his Lord was once more back to his normal form. His jaw dropped open, "My Lord this humble servant is happy to see you in your normal form. I have been looking for you ever since the battle with Naraku. How did you return to your normal size, my Lord?"

Sesshoumaru growled at Jaken, he was not in the habit of answering questions, "Jaken, where have you been? Why did you leave the battle field in the middle of our battle with Naraku?"

The soldiers standing around the room all gasped when they heard their Lord's question. Now they knew why the kappa wanted to leave the shiro before their Lord came home. What he did is punishable by death for deserting their Lord in a battle.

They all knew that Sesshoumaru didn't need any help in fighting an enemy but if you went into battle with him then you were required to stay until it ended, or you were dead. With the kappa leaving before the battle was finished he abandon their Lord to his fate without backup.

Jaken was shaking in fear while he tried to grovel, "Please my Lord, I did nothing wrong. I looked for you in that battle but you were nowhere to be found. I only saw that ningens pack fighting the Youkai in that area and I didn't think that I was required to stay in a battle with them."

Jaken jumped when he heard a vicious growl, it did not come from his Lord, but it did come from the female sitting next to him. He had no idea who this female was but he noticed that the ningens that traveled with that miko were currently standing behind his Lord, along with the half breed.

Kagome temper was getting the best of her when she growled at the kappa, "Jaken, how dare you lie to your Lord! You knew that you were to be aiding in the final battle with Naraku and you left the battlefield because you were too scared to fight. You did the same thing when we battled the wolves and Koga, you went into the forest there and hid until the battle was done.

"You complain constantly that you do not want to be left behind with Rin yet you are worthless when it comes to fighting in a battle. I'm beginning to think that the only reason you fought against Naraku's minions is because you were about to die and you had no choice but to fight."

Jaken was losing his temper while he yelled back, "Who do you think you are yelling at me like that? I'm Lord Sesshoumaru's faithful servant and I always do as he commands. And who are you to even say those things about me when this is the first time that we have ever met?"

Jaken felt pain when he was hit in the chest and went flying backwards to land hard on his back. He was breathing hard, he rolled over and got up once more. He was about to yell at the wench for attacking him when he noticed that the attack didn't come from her but from his Lord.

Sesshoumaru was pissed that Jaken would even speak to his mate in such a manner. He let his whip fly while he hit him in the chest. He growled again, "How dare you speak to my mate in such a manner. She is above you in every way and what she said is true, you are worthless in a battle and you complained every time I left you with Rin to protect her."

Jaken still was at a loss of words, "But who is your mate my Lord, we have never met."

Sesshoumaru growled as he stated, "She is the Shikon Miko, daughter to Konokarei, and my mate. She is the miko Kagome. You knew that I was traveling with her for a while as we set up our plans to bring Naraku down. You also knew that you were to help in the final battle because she gave you her orders. When we merged our packs together she was the alpha female of the pack and I was the alpha male. As alpha of her pack her orders were to be carried out no matter what.

"You chose to ignore her orders after I told you that you would be in the final battle. You ran the moment you saw the danger and left the miko and her pack to battle Naraku alone when she could have used an extra set of hands.

"For your transgression against your Lord and abandoning your post in the final battle with Naraku you are hear by sentenced to death. This is an act that I will not tolerate from anyone under my rule."

Jaken fell to his knees as he pleaded with his Lord, "But Lord Sesshoumaru I have been a faithful servant for years and I have always done your bidding. How can you put me to death for the one mistake I have made in my life?"

Sesshoumaru showed no emotion when he stated, "You should have thought about your actions before you did them. You abandoned my mate in that battle and she could have been hurt. In fact, she was hurt in that battle. This is an action that I take seriously and anyone that will not protect my mate will die by my hand."

Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the guards then nodded. The guards came forward, they grabbed the kappa and took him away. He will be executed immediately for his betrayal to their Lord.

Sesshoumaru then turned towards his pack, "I will have a servant show you to your rooms. Freshen up and then come back down to the dining hall. The evening meal will be served in one hour."

A servant entered the grand audience chambers, she took the members of the pack and showed them to their rooms. Sesshoumaru turned to his mate and extended his arm to her and she took it.

Kagome stood and followed her Lord out of the grand audience chamber, they were heading upstairs. She was saddened in a way for the kappa to be executed but there was nothing that she could do about it. She knew that he had issues with ningens and if the Youkai were going to survive what is to come they must live together in peace with the ningens on the lands.

Kagome was walking along with her mate while she was looking around the shiro. Sesshoumaru could tell that his mate was fascinated with his home and he felt proud. He wanted to make sure that his mate was happy in her new home and with her being this curious he knew that she will be happy here.

They were approaching his bed chambers when he stopped and opened the door for his mate. He let her go in first then he followed right after.

Kagome stopped in her tracks when she observed Sesshoumaru's room. It was beautiful in her eyes. It was all her favorite colors and it was warm and welcoming. There was a large futon in the middle of the room. Windows were everywhere as the natural light came into the room. Heavy curtains covered them at night to make sure that the occupants are not disturbed by the morning light.

The cover on the futon was a royal blue with little silver crescent moons all over it. Pillows covered a third of the bed in blues, reds, and black. There was a desk to the left with a large chair to sit in. Book shelves lined one side of the room when she noticed a door next to it.

Being curious she went over to the door and opened it. When she walked inside she noticed the very large hot spring that was in this room. There were shelves lining the walls with towels and robes hanging on hooks. Little bottles of liquid could be seen on the shelves, which she thought would be different scented soaps or oils to bathe with.

She turned and walked back into Sesshoumaru's chambers when she noticed her male just standing there looking at her. She blushed when she heard him say, "Is everything to your liking mate?"

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru just stood back and watched as his little female looked around their chambers. He noticed the sparkle in her eyes while she looked at everything. He could tell that she was happy with their room as he saw her going into the hot springs. It will be a treat for her to be able to bathe in private with him as opposed to bathing out in the open where someone could walk up on them.

She came out of the bathing chambers when she looked at him and blushed. He growled low in his throat then asked his question, he needed to know that everything was to her liking.

Kagome looked up at her mate, she smiled and stated, "It beautiful here Sesshoumaru, I love our room and everything in it. You should give me a tour of the shiro once we settle down here."

Sesshoumaru agreed, he moved over to his little mate and wrapped his arm around her waist, he escorted her to a set of doors that were there. He opened them and then walked outside to the balcony with his mate. He heard her breath hitch as she looked at the sunset in awe.

Kagome couldn't believe what she was seeing. It was beautiful out here and she knew that from this day forward she would be standing here every day observing as the sun rose and fell from the skies. She looked down to find the most beautiful gardens she has ever seen. It was in full bloom and she couldn't wait to go down there and take a long stroll through all the flowers. "This is breathtaking. I have never seen anything so beautiful."

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arms around her waist and stood behind her. They both just stood there and looked over the lands, enjoying each other's company in silence. No words were spoken just the loving feeling of being in the one you loved arms. But all good things must come to an end when Sesshoumaru pulled away from his mate stating, "Come my mate we must change for the evening meal."

Kagome turned and followed her mate back into their room, then she saw him disappear through another door. He came out a few minutes later, and in his hands, he had the most gorgeous kimono she has ever seen. It was a dark blue that complemented her eyes perfectly. There were silver crescent moons all over the fabric and it had a bright white under kimono to go along with it. A silver obi finished the look while she stood there in awe.

Sesshoumaru chest puffed out when his mate loved the kimono he presented her. It was a kimono that he had made for his mate when he found her. Even then he was thinking about her because the kimono matched her eyes beautifully and he wanted his mate to wear it. "Do you like it my mate?"

Kagome couldn't take her eyes off the kimono as she answered, "Oh Sesshoumaru it's absolutely beautiful. Are you sure that you want me to wear this?" She watched when Sesshoumaru put the kimono on the futon, and she got a better look at it. The kimono was just breathtaking to look at.

Sesshoumaru huffed and stated, "Yes I want you to wear it. As my mate, you are to dress per your station. I want nothing but the best for you and it would please me to see you dress like this. I know that your old kimonos are what you would normally wear in the future but here that manner of dress is too revealing. I would not like other males to see what belongs to me.

"It is for my eyes only and I enjoy your body very much my little mate." Sesshoumaru then reached over, he pulled her into his chest and held her tight. He kissed her gently while he showed her all his love and desires. He then picked her up and went into the bathing chambers to get cleaned up.

Once they were done bathing, they dressed and went down stairs to meet the pack. The pack was there waiting for them when they walked in and took their place at the head of the table.

Kagome looked around the table and noticed that everyone was cleaned and bathed. Her eyes opened wide when she noticed that Inuyasha was cleaned and bathed as well plus he was not wearing his red fire rat haori. He looked good dressed in a black kimono with sakura blossoms on the shoulders and sleeves.

They all sat down to eat while the servants brought the food in and set it on the table. Sesshoumaru took his food and then filled Kagome's plate for her. He made sure that she had enough to eat and when he was done the rest of the pack was free to take what they wanted.

When Sesshoumaru took the first bite of food the pack was free to eat as they sat there and had casual conversation during their meal. Once everyone was finished they were free to go where they wanted as most of them went back up to their rooms to rest.

Kagome wanted to go outside to the gardens and her mate escorted her there. They walked around for a while until they both got tired and then went up to their chambers to rest. They did everything but rest as they made passionate love all night long.

-oOo-

It has been four moons now and the pack was finally settling down in the shiro, Sesshoumaru gave them all jobs to do in addition to training daily. He turned the kits training over to one of his Kitsune generals that could further his training. He was proving to be a hand full for the general, when his powers kept on growing.

Shippou was like a sponge, he learned everything that he needed to learn and more. By the time he was done training with the general his tails went from four to six. Then he turned to his mother to see if she could teach him some of her fighting technics. He always loved the way his mother would fight and wanted to learn from her.

When she agreed to teach him, he was ecstatic about learning, but learning from his mother was no easy task, as more often than not he found himself eating dirt at his mother's hand. At least now he knew how Inuyasha felt when she sat him.

But one of the general made the mistake of mocking his mother on her simple techniques. She offered to show him how effective they were and that was his undoing. In challenging his mother, the general learned the hard way not to mock her. He got the beating of his life with just her normal powers and she didn't even use her youki.

Kagome just used the simplest of moves on the general but it was where she was hitting him that gave him the most trouble. She was hitting his pressure points and was taking him down this way. He had no idea that she had knowledge of this and that was his undoing. By the time Kagome was done he was laying on the ground bleeding, breathing hard, and unable to move. The healers had to come and take him away once Kagome was done with him.

The general never made the mistake of calling her teachings into question again. Even Sesshoumaru witness what his mate did to the general and from that moment forward he was very careful about what he said about her abilities. He never wanted to end up like the general, on the ground, in pain, and unable to move.

The training was intense because now Sesshoumaru could train with his mate. He was in his normal form and he wanted to see what she was capable of. His mate was a wealth of knowledge and Sesshoumaru learned a lot from her. Even the guards learned how to respect the new Lady of the West, because she could hold her own in a battle, something that they have never seen in a female before.

Sesshoumaru was training his brother as well. Inuyasha was learning a lot once he settled down and started to listen to Sesshoumaru. He could handle the new sword he was given a lot better than before and was starting to go the distance with his brother, and that was a satisfying feeling. His father was right, if he would have listened to his brother from the beginning and he wouldn't have gotten into so much trouble.

-oOo-

It was night in the shiro, everyone has finished their dinner and are resting in their rooms. Sesshoumaru was finishing up his work so he could spend time with his mate. He was finally done with his work and was leaving his study making his way towards his rooms.

Sesshoumaru's ears twitch, he was hearing the most wonderful music he has ever heard. He turns and follows the alluring music to its location. He was heading for one of the lesser audience chambers. He approached the door and he could hear the music coming from within. Slowly he opens the door and looks inside.

Imagine his surprise to find his little mate in there dressed in a white kimono and she seemed to be dancing. He has seen her dance before and she has explained to him what it was she was doing. He found it most interesting for they didn't have this in his era. But there in front of him his little mate was dancing to the sound of this wonderful music.

Her kimono would expand out when she twirled in place, she was breath taking. He watched her for a few minutes while he observed what she was doing. He was observing her steps and when he thought he had them, he approached his mate. She never knew that he was there with her. When the music started to play again he was behind her, grabbing her around the waist he turned her body towards his.

He held her close to his, wrapping his arm around her waist while the other held her hand. Then they started to move, slowly at first as they got used to each other. Then he noticed when the mark on her forehead started to glow. His did as well as the knowledge of what she was doing came to him. He smiled at his little mate, and then they start to move.

Long smooth spins were done around the room as he held her in his arms. This music spoke to him as the love shinning in his mate's eyes told him of her deep love for him. He held her in his arms as the move gracefully around the room, they would separate and then he would spin her and hold on to her hand above her head, then bring her back into his arms.

Sesshoumaru never knew that he could dance this way but he was and he was very much enjoying himself. Just the expression of happiness in his mate's eyes was enough for him, while they continued to dance they never noticed that they had an audience watching what they were doing.

-oOo-

The members of the pack were in their rooms when they started to hear this wonderful melody going around the shiro. Curious each member of the pack came out of their rooms and into the hallway. They all look at each other and then follow Inuyasha to where the music was playing. They stop in front of a door and slowly open them. They stood there in shock as they watched what Kagome and Sesshoumaru were doing.

They have never seen anything like this before, and before long they had company when the servants came to investigate that strange music. They were all standing at the door watching the beautiful dance being done by their lord and his mate. It was a beautiful dance that told a story of pain, heartbreak, and then of love and triumph as they each held on to each other. None there have ever seen a dance like this and they loved it.

Inuyasha was sensing that the music was about over, he turned to his friends and signaled to leave, before his brother found them looking in on what he was doing with his mate. They got everyone to move and closed the doors behind them. They all breathed a sigh of relief when his brother did not come after them and they all went upstairs to their rooms.

The servants were talking among themselves about what they saw. They have never seen anything like it before and they were wondering if their lady would show them how to do this type of dance. Theirs was so different from what she was doing with her mate. It was very hypnotizing and alluring, the females were wondering if their mates would react to a dance like that. The female servants all agreed that they will ask their lady if she would show them how to do this dance.

Some of the females played instruments and were wondering if their lady would teach them how to play this type of music, they loved how soft and gentle it was compared to their own style of music. There were many questions being asked by the female servants that they made a vow to ask their lady for help in this matter.

-oOo-

Sango was very impressed with what she saw Kagome doing, "I wonder what kind of dance Kagome was doing? I mean we don't have anything like that here and it was so elegant the way she moved with Sesshoumaru." She wasn't asking anyone that question, she was just talking out loud to see if she could find the answer to her question. Imagine her surprise when it was Inuyasha that answered it for her, "That dance is called a waltz. Back in Kagome's era she took what she called classes to teach her this type of a dance. She said that it was a very old dance but for us we will have to wait at least two hundred years before we see it.

"She loves dancing to that type of music and as you can see she is very good at it. I never understood why she wanted to learn such things, but seeing her with my brother, I can see why she does it. To me it's an intimate dance to only be done with a mate or mate to be. The way she looked at my brother, it was full of love just for him."

Sango could hear the sadness in Inuyasha's voice and his posture was slumped when he said that. He is finally realizing what he has lost because he wanted Kikyou. Kagome filled his life with happiness and he gave all that up for Kikyou, a vindictive bitch that didn't care about him at all.

Sango wrapped her arm around Inuyasha's shoulder, "Yes I know Inuyasha, and I know it hurts. But you gave up your chance with her when you went with Kikyou. Kagome once told me this saying, 'You never know what you have until you lose it.' Now I believe I know what she meant by that saying. But you should be happy for her, she has finally found someone that will love her unconditionally, and I know that your brother will remain true to her."

Inuyasha sighed, Sango was right, that saying did have a lot of meaning and he has heard it from her before but he never paid attention to it. Now he knew what it meant. You never know what you have in your hands until you lose it to another. Once it's gone you can never hope to get it back. It was a hard lesson for him to learn but he learned it well. He lost the most precious thing in his life because of his actions, from now on he will be more careful with the things he will gain in the future. He does not want to lose another love because of his actions.

The pack finally made it back to their rooms, they all enter and retired for the night. In the morning, it will be another day of training and taking care of the Western Lands.

-oOo-

Kagome for her part was a very curious person. She would walk around the shiro with Sango and would ask many questions of the servants.

The servants were very surprised and impressed with their new lady. She would come and talk to them like they have been long time friends and showed them all respect. She would praise them for a job well done or if she knew of a way to make work easier for them she would show them.

Their lady was not one to be served hand and foot, she preferred to do things herself and this was a welcome change from the other bitches that came here wanting their Lord to mate them.

But the thing that took them all by surprise is when Kagome found the nursery. This was the place where the female servants kept their young when they were working at the shiro. There were pups of all ages and Kagome would spend most of her time there playing with all of them.

But then one day the shiro was quiet. There was no noise to be heard and it caught everyone attention.

Sesshoumaru was working in his study when he noticed the lack of noise. Usually he would hear the pups playing on the other side of the shiro but today it was quiet. It was too quiet for his liking, being curious he got up and went to investigate.

He made his way to the other side of the shiro. With each step he took he was worried that something was wrong because there was no sound coming from the pups. When he stepped outside his eyes opened wide.

There was his little mate and she had all the pups gathered around her as they were all sitting quietly while they listened to a story that she was spinning for them. You could see all of them paying attention to her while she got them involved in the story she was telling them. Their care takers were sitting there as well as they held the littlest ones in their laps.

Some of his servants, that came to find out what was going on with their pups, were there as well, they stood there mesmerized by his little mate. He stood there and listened to her story as the pups yelped when they got scared and cheered when something good happened.

When his mate was done with her tale it was time for the pups to get something to eat and then a nap was in order.

Sesshoumaru never left the area, he was watching his mate with curious eyes. She was wonderful with the pups and he couldn't wait until she was swollen with his seed. He wanted a family of his own and now he knew that his little mate was ready for pups as well.

-oOo-

A few days passed and Kagome was with the children in the garden area when they heard a commotion coming from the front gates. She turned and noticed this large group of Youkai coming into the shiro. She was wondering who they were since her mate didn't tell her that they were going to be having visitors today.

Then Kagome noticed when the females, that were taking care of the pups, started to move them all indoors. She turned to the closet servant and asked, "Why are you taking all of the pups indoors?"

The female Youkai that was in a hurry to get the pups inside quickly said, "That is the Northern Lord who has arrived. He has his daughter with him and she does not like the pups anywhere near her. The last time they were here one of the pups accidently ran into her and she was about to kill the pup when I ran and took him out of harm's way. I would give my life to protect these pups since I can't have any of my own."

Kagome was shocked to hear this. Then her last comment entered her mind when she asked, "Why can't you have any pups?"

The servant lowered her head, it was painful for her to remember why she couldn't have any more pups and it pained her terribly, "When I saved the pup from getting kill she caught me with her claws across my stomach. I was pupped at the time and I lost it. Now I can't have any pups because of the poison she left behind."

Kagome was upset to be hearing this, how dare that bitch come here and try to kill the pups of the shiro. She let the servants get the pups inside the shiro and then she went looking for Rin.

Sango heard everything that was said and she was upset as well. Anyone who would kill a child because it just ran into you was not fit to be lady of any lands. She knew that Kagome was upset and when she saw all the pups escorted back inside the shiro, she knew she would go looking for Rin. She wanted to make sure that Rin was not harmed in anyway.

They quickly went towards the last area they knew Rin would be in and what they saw caused the entire shiro to almost run for their lives.

-oOo-

Kagome was making her way towards the library where she knew Rin was taking her lessons. It was almost time for her to finish and she would always come out and joined the pups for play.

She was just coming into the open area of the main entrance when she saw her pup running towards her. That bitch of the Northern Lord's daughter deliberately stepped in front of Rin so she would crash into her.

Kagome saw the bitch raise her claws, about to kill her pup, when she unleashed her aura. The entire shiro was in a panic as they all tried to leave the area where their lady was located.

Kagome sent a blast of her Reiryoku that hit the bitch in the chest, she was thrown back against the wall, making a dent the size of her full body.

Kagome got Sango to grab Rin and take her to safety as she faced off with the bitch that wanted to touch what was hers.

-oOo-

Subeta didn't know what hit her, she was about to get rid of the little ningen bitch that Sesshoumaru had as a pet around his shiro. She was the main reason why Sesshoumaru would not mate her. He wanted a mother for the ningen child and she would not lower herself to mother that thing.

She was about to give the killing blow when she was hit in the chest and sent flying across the room. She hit the wall hard, the air escaping her lungs, while she slid down to the floor where she landed on her ass. She looked down at her chest to see a big burn mark and she could feel the Reiryoku starting to eat at her body. If that blast had been any more powerful she would be dead right now.

She was breathing hard when she looked up, there standing in front of her was a female Inu that was staring at her with red eyes. She was not best pleased when she finally got up off the ground and stated in a heated voice, "You whore! How dare you attack me, what gives you the right to attack me?"

Kagome stood her ground and eyed the demoness in front of her, but she was also keeping her eyes on the male that was with her. If he attacked her she would kill him as well. Then she heard the bitches question and stated in a deadly voice, "You were about to put your hands on something that belongs to me. That was my pup and if you even think about touching her I will make your death a very painful one. No one touches what is mine."

Subeta looked at the female standing in front of her, she turned her nose up in the air and turned away from the Inu bitch. "Then you should tell your little toy not to get in my way. She had no right to touch my person."

Kagome growled, "She would not have touched you if you did not get in her way. She was coming towards me when you stepped in front of her. I warn you now, touch a single pup in this shiro and your death will be by my hand."

Subeta puffed up her chest while she screeched, "You whore! Do you know who you are talking to? I'm the daughter of the Northern Lord and I demand you show me respect."

Kagome crossed her arms over her chest and stated, "You will get respect when you earn it. You come here unannounced and expect the West to wait on you hand and foot. You will show your respect while you are in this shiro or I will throw you out on your royal ass."

Ahou had about enough of the bitch that was talking down to his daughter, "You bitch, would do well to speak with respect to my daughter. She is above you in every way. Being the Northern Princess, you must show her respect and if you don't then I will make you." He went to attack Kagome when a whip came out of nowhere and hit Ahou in the chest. He went flying backwards when he landed flat on his back in pain.

-oOo-

Sesshoumaru was in his study when he felt his mate's power go over the shiro. He has never felt her release this much of her aura in the time that they have been together. She preferred to keep her powers hidden and the servants appreciated that.

He quickly got up and headed towards his mate. Imagine his surprise to see the Northern Lord with his irritating daughter confronting his mate. He saw the burn marks on the bitch's chest and knew that his mate must have attacked her.

He knew his mate well and she will only attack someone that was about to touch something that belonged to her, and that meant Rin. He heard the confrontation between them and his mate, and when Ahou went to attack his mate that is when he attacked him with his whip.

A loud growl was heard in the shiro as it shook the walls. Sesshoumaru came to stand next to his mate and stated, "Ahou… you better have a good reason for attacking the female that is next to me because if you don't your life is mine to take."

Ahou slowly got up from the ground when he saw Sesshoumaru standing next to that irritating bitch. "That whore had the nerve to attack my daughter. She was only defending herself and this whore comes here and attacks her. I want an apology at once and I want her to be punished for what has happened here today."

Sesshoumaru growled deep and menacing when his eyes started to turn red. He turned his attention to his mate and raised an eyebrow in question.

Kagome was fit to be tied but she knew, now that her mate was standing next to her, she had to let him handle this. She looked at him when he raised his eyebrow in question, she then proceeded to tell him what the bitch did.

Sesshoumaru was not too pleased with this turn of events and stated in a heated voice, "You tried to kill Rin?"

Subeta huffed, she didn't understand what the big deal was about this little ningen child, there are plenty of them out there on the lands that he could have his pick for a pet, "She is only a ningen, there are plenty of them on the lands and you can always pick another one to keep as a pet if you wish."

Subeta had to duck when Kagome attacked her again for her words towards her pup, "Talk ill of my pup again and I will not miss the next time you bitch!"

Ahou was fit to be tied while Sesshoumaru stood there and did nothing, "You see what I mean! She attacks my daughter and you do nothing. I demand that punishment be served for her disrespect for myself and my daughter."

Sesshoumaru had enough of the Northern Lord, it was now time that he found out who this female was, "Ahou let me introduce you to my mate Kagome."

Both their eyes open wide when they hear that Sesshoumaru has taken a mate. "You have taken a mate when you knew that we were in negotiations for you to mate my daughter!"

Sesshoumaru stood tall, clearly irritated that this fool thought he would ever mate his daughter, "We were never in negotiations for me to mate your daughter. You were trying to push her off on me and I have never shown any interest in her. She is not fit to be the Western Lady and I would never mate her if she was the last female on these lands. You come to my home, insult my mate, and try to kill Rin. My mate had every right to punish the bitch for touching what was hers."

Subeta could not believe what she was hearing, "That bitch is not suited to be the Lady of the West. She is not powerful enough to be your mate, so I challenge her for mating rights."

Kagome heard the challenge and that was all it took, "I accept, what is your choice of weapons?"

Subeta smiled at the Inu bitch, there was no way that this bitch would be able to defeat her in battle, "We will use our own powers since you think that you are powerful enough to defend your title as Lady of the West."

Kagome agreed and said, "That is fine with me, care to step outside so we can finish this?"

Subeta turned her nose up and stated in an arrogant voice, "I don't need to go outside to defeat you. I will only need just a second to do that."

Kagome smiled when the bitch left herself open for attack. Well she aimed to please as a whip came out of her hand and hit the bitch in the chest. She hit her so hard that she went flying out the door whilst Kagome followed her outside.

Subeta didn't know what was going on, one minute she was inside the shiro and the next she was laying on her back outside. She quickly got up off the ground when she saw her opponent standing in front of her. She cracked her knuckles and went after the new Lady of the West.

She went to slash Kagome and found that she hit nothing but air. She turned and went after her again, but this time when her arm came down it was caught in the bitch's hand.

Kagome grabbed Subeta's wrist, she flipped her over her head and threw her about 10 feet away. She was making her way over to the bitch while she was trying to get up from the ground. She took her right foot and hit her under her chin and the bitch went down once more.

She let Subeta get up and then proceeded to kick the living shit out of her. By the time she was done Subeta was a bloody mess on the ground, Kagome turned to her and said, "You are pathetic. I didn't even use my true powers and I beat you. How can you be Lady of the West when you can't even stand up to me?"

Kagome turned and left the bitch on the ground in a bloody heap. She felt the hair in the back of her neck stand up when the trees in the area gave her a warning. A barrier went around her body while she protected herself against the attack that Subeta sent towards her.

Subeta couldn't believe that she lost this fight to that bitch. She was physically powerful and didn't need to use her powers to beat her. She couldn't take it anymore, that bitch was going to pay for humiliating her, she got up on her feet and sent a blast of her youki towards her. She smiled thinking that she has won this battle when her eyes open wide.

Kagome's eyes turned red when she slowly turned around and faced the bitch, "How dare you attack me when my back is turned! You have no honor. You are not fit to be the Lady of the West if this is the way you will bring dishonor to this house."

Kagome's aura started to grow when she unleashed her powers. She didn't release it all but she released enough that the bitch feared her. Kagome turned her red eyes toward the bitch, then stated in a menacing voice, "Now it's my turn."

Kagome raised her hand up and sent a blast toward the bitch that was a pain in her side and purified her into oblivion.

Ahou couldn't believe that his daughter was dead, he was so angered that he went to attack the bitch. But before he could take a step towards the bitch he was pinned to the ground by Sesshoumaru, then he heard Sesshoumaru's deadly voice, "Touch my mate and you will die by my hand. Then the Northern lands will belong to me and any future pups that I may have. The bitch deserved to die for her dishonor, now leave before I take your life."

Ahou got up from the ground and rubbed his neck. He looked at the female that was standing next to him and asked, "Who is she Sesshoumaru? I have never seen a demoness with Reiryoku before."

Sesshoumaru wrapped his arm around his mate while he growled and calmed her down. He heard Ahou question, then stated in a proud voice, "Well then let me introduce you to my mate. This is Kagome, Shikon Miko, and daughter to Konokarei."

Ahou eyes opened wide when he heard who she was. This was impossible how could Sesshoumaru find such a powerful mate and subdue her to become his mate? This was unheard of while he looked at the female. He saw her markings and sure enough she was mated to Sesshoumaru.

Ahou bowed to Kagome and apologized to her for his daughter's actions. Once that was done he turned to leave the Western shiro. He has lost his only daughter and now his plans for ruling both lands were ruined, all because that bitch kept her powers hidden. He was thinking of ways to get even when he heard the bitch speaking to him.

Kagome noticed when the Northern Lord turned to leave. She just knew what he was thinking and stated, "If you think to come back and get even with my mate think again. I am Konokarei daughter and if you attack my mate I will make sure that your lands never grow any food for your people. In a matter of a year your lands will be devastated and there will be no one living on them but you. You can tell the rest of the Lords of the lands the same thing."

Ahou stopped in his tracks, then he turned around and listened to what the bitch was saying. He had no idea how she knew what he was thinking but it scared the shit out of him. He bowed and quickly left the shiro. He will not be coming back here unless he was called here for a gathering.

Sesshoumaru and Kagome watched as Ahou left the western shiro. It was a quick departure for the Northern Lord and they were not sorry to see him go.

Kagome then turned while she wrapped her arms around her mate and nuzzled his neck. She licked it and then bit down as she growled sexily for her mate.

Sesshoumaru didn't know what came over his mate but the minute she bit his neck he lost it. One minute they were standing outside and the next they just vanished from the area. All the soldiers smiled at each other because they knew where their Lord went.

The Lady of the shiro was horny as hell after her battle with the Northern bitch, which they were all thankful that she was now dead. When she bit their Lord, it was enough to set his beast free and they disappeared into his chambers for the rest of the day and possibly night.

The soldiers didn't know how right they were when the alphas didn't come down for the evening meal. Sango took care of Rin, making sure that she was fed and then she played with her until it was time for her to go to bed.

The next morning Kagome and Sesshoumaru showed up for the morning meal as they all sat down to eat. When the meal was done Kagome and Sango left the males as they went to where the pups were located.

Kagome was on a mission while she searched for the demoness that gave so much to protect the pups of the shiro. She finally reached the area where the pups were located as they were running around the area playing.

Kagome approached Akiho and said, "Akiho, I would like a word with you please."

Akiho upon hearing her ladies request turned and kneeled in front of her in respect. When she saw her lady nod she stood while she waited for her lady to say her peace.

Kagome took a deep breath and said, "Akiho I want to do something for you. I want you to stand very still and not move. I will not hurt you so don't worry all right."

Akiho was curious about what her lady wanted to do. She trusted her with her life and stood very still, while she waited to see what she was going to do.

Kagome saw when Akiho agreed to her request and started to let her powers surface. Her aura grew in power but it was a light blue. It was not the pink of her Reiryoku nor was it the green when she was using the earths power. The light blue was her healing powers as it surrounded her body.

Kagome put her hands out in front of her when her powers engulfed Akiho. The other females and the pups were watching in fascination as they all watched what their lady was doing.

Sesshoumaru felt when his mate's powers came to life, then the males of the pack raced to her location. They didn't feel any danger in the area and when they got to her location they stopped dead in their tracks.

Imagine Sesshoumaru's surprise when he saw his mates healing powers engulf her body and the body of one of the servants. He was wondering what was going on as they all stood there and watched.

Kagome was concentrating on Akiho, she found all the poison in her body that was preventing her from getting pupped. She got rid of all the poison and then she repaired her womb from when she miscarried her pup. It was severely damaged and if she did get pupped again she would lose the pup because her womb would never be able to hold it.

Once Kagome was done she let her powers go back into her body and slowly opened her eyes. She took a deep breath and asked, "Akiho…how are you feeling?"

Akiho didn't know what to do, the pain that she has been in since she lost her pup was finally gone from her body. The weakness from the poison was gone as well. She felt better than she ever felt before. She smiled and happily answered, "I feel wonderful my lady, what did you do?"

Kagome smiled at the wonderful female that was standing in front of her, "I removed all the poison that was in your body. It was making you sick, that is why you were feeling tired all the time and weak. In time, it would have killed you. I also repaired the damage that was done to your womb when you lost your pup. If you were to get pupped with it in that condition, you would have lost it. Now you can have your own pups."

Akiho was blown away by what her lady did for her. She fell to her knees as tears streamed down her cheeks. "Why? Why would you do this for a lonely servant my lady?"

Kagome looked at Akiho with loving eyes, "Because you deserve to have pups of your own. Any demoness that would sacrifice their life for a pup of this shiro deserves the gift that I bestow to her. You are a great example to the rest of the Youkai of the lands on how to protect the little ones of our lands. They are our future and I want to make sure that they grow up strong and happy."

Akiho couldn't believe what she was hearing. She was given the gift to have her own pups again. She blessed the day that her Lord mated this female. She is a shining example of what a Lady of the Lands should be. She bowed low to the ground as she said, "I am in your debt my lady. I accept this gift with honor and joy. I hope that my future pup will honor the west with their loyalty to its current rulers."

Kagome smiled, then she stepped forward and said in Akiho ear, "Enjoy this night with your mate because by tomorrow morning you will be pupped."

Akiho eyes opened wide as she looked up at her lady. She had a big smile on her face and then Akiho felt the first signs of her heat beginning. She was excited when Kagome gave her permission to leave the pups, that she would watch them while she seeks out her mate.

Akiho couldn't have been happier as the rest of the demoness in the area congratulated her on her good fortune. They now knew what type of lady they had here in the west. She was kind and cared for the pups of the lands. That's why she had two pups of her own that were not hers and that she was raising. It didn't matter to her if they were Youkai or ningens, they were pups that needed to be kept safe and she did it. They were all honor to work for such a strong lady and they pledged their loyalty to her.

Kagome watched as Akiho left the area looking for her mate. She turned when she noticed that her mate was standing there watching her all this time. She walked over to his location when she stopped and asked, "Sesshoumaru why are you here?"

Sesshoumaru was proud of his little mate. Her heart knew no bounds when it came to doing the right thing. She gave the demoness the gift of life when she lost her own pup protecting one from the shiro. She made a great sacrifice that day and now she was rewarded for her action.

He saw his mate coming over to him when he heard her question, "There is nothing wrong mate. I felt your powers rise and came to see if there was a problem. I am proud of what you did for Akiho. She is one of the very few that cares dearly for pups and when she lost her own she was heartbroken for a very long time."

Then Sesshoumaru became curious when he asked, "What did you whisper to Akiho?"

Kagome smiled, she stepped forward and whispered into his ear what she told Akiho. You could see the amusement in his eyes when he looked at his mate. Then Kagome got a serious look in her eyes and asked her mate, "Sesshoumaru is there a place here in the shiro where I can set up tables and chairs for the little one so I can teach them. I want them to learn how to read and write. There are some here that will be great healers in the future and some that will build great cities for the future of these lands that will not destroy all the trees."

Sesshoumaru was blown away by her request while he thought about where she could have her room. He then turned to her and said, "There is nowhere in the shiro that will have the space that you want mate. But how about this, I will build you a place where you can do this and anyone that wants to learn can go there and learn. Even if the adults want to learn I will give them time from their normal duties for you to teach them."

Kagome was blown away by her mates offer, she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him senseless. She was happy and she showed her mate how happy she was when she whispered into his ear what she was going to do to him to show him how happy he made her.

Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat, he couldn't wait until this evening. It promised to be an exciting night for him, he watched his female walk away from him as she went to play with the pups.

-oOo-

This is the end to another chapter. Jaken got his just reward for leaving Sesshoumaru in the final battle with Naraku. The kappa should have known what would happen if he left.

The little dancing scene was inspired by Two Steps From Hell new album, Unleashed, See Me Fight. I was listening to their new album and when this song was played this scene popped into my mind. So… I just added it to the story. I thought it made a tender moment between Sesshoumaru and Kagome, but it also showed Inuyasha what he lost because of his actions.

I do hope you have been enjoying this story. The next chapter will be the final chapter.

Join me in the next chapter as we follow Kagome and Sesshoumaru through time and reach the modern era. It's been a wonderful ride and I enjoyed all your reviews for this story.

Until the next and final time

Ja ne!


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

The final Chapter – The return home

True to Kagome's predictions the next day Akiho showed up with a big smile on her face when she announced that she was finally pupped once more. Everyone offered her their congratulations on her future pup.

Ever since their new lady arrived at the shiro it has changed for the better. No longer did they have to fear the other Lords and Ladies of these lands, for their Lord was no longer receiving them at the shiro, not since they challenged him for his mate. Before there used to be a long line of females wanting to mate their lord and they were not the best females for the west.

The female servants are very protective of their new lady and the males of the shiro pledge their loyalty and protection. For what she did for one of their own they will protect her and her pups with their very lives.

Sesshoumaru couldn't have been happier to have his mate. She made a lot of changes in the shiro when she was finally mated to him. All the changes were for the best as all his people were happy with their lives and happier working for him. He knew that his lands will prosper with his mating and his people will live long and happy lives.

A couple of days later Sesshoumaru noticed a change to his mate's scent when he was picking up on the spiciness. His eyes opened wide when he realized what that scent meant. He walked up to his mate and asked, "Mate can I talk to you for a few minutes?"

Kagome turned when she heard her mate's request. She left Sango in charge of the pups she was teaching and walked away with her mate. When they were far enough away from the group he stopped, and turned towards his mate. "Mate there is something that I must tell you."

Kagome was curious to see what her mate wanted. He has been staying very close to her for the last few days and she didn't know why. She was getting nervous, thinking that something was wrong. "Sesshoumaru what's wrong? Did I do something to displease you?" Tears could be seen forming in her eyes as she looked at her mate.

Sesshoumaru seeing that his mate was getting upset pulled her into his chest as he growled low and gently for her. "Mate please don't cry, you have done nothing wrong. I only wanted to tell you that you are pupped."

Kagome stopped her crying when she heard what Sesshoumaru was saying to her. When she heard his statement, she looked up with big wide eyes, "You mean to tell me that I carry?"

Sesshoumaru smiled as he whispered, "Yes my mate, you are carrying our pup in your womb."

Kagome was ecstatic she was going to have a pup of her own when she jumped, knocking her mate down to the ground while she landed on top of him. She was kissing him senseless while she showed him how happy he just made her.

Kagome has always wanted children of her own and now her dreams were coming true. When she was done showing her mate her happiness she ran to her best friend and told her the good news.

The news spread around the shiro that their lady was pupped and everyone was happy for her. She would be a great mother and they all couldn't wait to see the new heir of the lands.

A month passed and Miroku finally got enough nerve to ask Sango to be his wife. She happily accepted his offer, then Miroku talked to Sesshoumaru about Sango. They had to do things the right way if he wanted to marry her. They were now part of a pack and it was his responsibility to talk to Sesshoumaru about Sango.

Sesshoumaru knew that the monk would soon ask the slayer to be his mate. He was just waiting for him to approach his person when he was ready. The day came sooner than he thought when the monk approached him the right way and asked if he could take Sango as his mate.

Sesshoumaru eyed the monk and stated, "You do understand that if you take the slayer as your mate, and I catch you putting your hands on another female I will rip your arm off. You will respect and take care of her."

Miroku understood his alpha and he agreed. They were mated three days later in a private little ceremony in the shiro by Kaede.

A couple of months later Kagome goes into labor while she was with the pups of the shiro. She was sitting down near a tree, while she rested and watched them play. She felt a shift in her stomach and then felt a rush of water. Her eyes open wide when she realized what that meant.

Kagome called Sango to her as several of the females came running and helped their lady into the birthing room. Sango then ran and got Sesshoumaru as Kagome's labor pain took on a new life of its own.

With Kagome being in pain the lands reacted to her suffering. The weather changed in the area as a vicious storm was brewing over the western shiro. Everyone was on edge and they hoped that Kagome gave birth to her pup before the lands attacked because she was in pain.

At that moment, a loud scream was heard from the birthing room as the thunder and lightning started to strike the ground around the shiro. Everyone was running for cover as the storm was getting worse.

The lands were about to do their worst when out of nowhere Kagome's father shows up and calms the lands. He disbursed the clouds and the lands quieted down once more. He disappeared from the front of the shiro and reappeared within the shiro where the pack was gathered waiting for Kagome to give birth.

The pack noticed when Konokarei appeared in their mist as they all kneeled in front of him in respect.

Konokarei looked at the pack and noticed that all were kneeling in front of him including Inuyasha. This surprised him as he said, "Please rise."

The pack got up when Sesshoumaru stepped forward to address Konokarei concerns. "I thank you for calming the lands. My mate is giving birth and with her being in pain it caused the lands to be unstable."

Konokarei nodded his head in agreement, "That is why I came. I could tell that something was not right when the lands were reacting so violently in this area. The only thing it could be is that something was wrong with my daughter. I should have known that the lands would react this way when she was giving birth."

Then the group heard the cry of a young pup being born, and the group let out a deep sigh of relief that Kagome has finally birthed her pup. They waited a few minutes when the doors to the birthing room opened and the healer stepped out of the room stating, "Lord Sesshoumaru you may go in now."

Sesshoumaru wasted no time when he raced into the room looking for his mate. He has been worried about her and when he entered the room the first thing he noticed was the scent of her blood. It was causing his beast to surface when he noticed his mate laying on the futon with a small bundle in her arms.

He approached slowly, he growled and got an answering growl from his mate, saying she was fine. His beast calmed down when she responded that she was all right, he took his hand and moved the wet hair away from his mate's face.

Kagome felt a gentle touch on her face then she slowly opened her eyes. She was exhausted from the ordeal, who knew that giving birth would be so tiring, when her eyes focused she looked at her mate who was concerned for her. She smiled beautifully for him and stated, "Mate, come and see your son."

Sesshoumaru's eyes opened wide when he heard he had a son. He moved a little closer to his mate and pup while he sniffed. The next thing he was being shown was his son when he was placed in his arms. He was careful with the pup when his mate showed him how to hold him correctly.

He brought his pup closer to his nose as he sniffed. He wanted to imprint his pups scent into his mind so that he would never forget what he smelled like. He growled gently and got an answering growl back from his pup. It was time to teach his pup who was alpha and his sire as the pup responded accordingly. He nuzzled his son then he looked up and smiled at his beautiful mate.

Kagome watched her mate with their pup. He was very gentle and you could see the love in his eyes for his pup. She was happy that this ordeal was over with for now. She knew she would go through all this pain again when she had other pups. That she would have them was a given since she wanted a big family with her mate.

Then the door opened and the pack was peeking in through the door. Kagome smiled as she nodded for them to approach. They all came in as Sesshoumaru stood and turned with the pup in his arms. They all approached slowly as they got their first good look at the prince of the west.

He was a pretty little thing, his hair was pure silver like his father. He had two blue stripes on each side of his cheeks. He held the blue crescent moon of the west along with his mother's markings of the Shikon No Tama and a green leaf in the middle of it. His eyes when he opened them were a pure gold with a blue ring around the outer edge. They could all tell that he will be powerful when he grows up.

Kagome's father stood there while he looked at the beautiful pup that his daughter just gave birth to. He was beautiful just like his daughter, then he got the shock of his life when Sesshoumaru offered the pup to him to hold. He looked up when he heard him say, "I thought that you might want to hold your grand pup."

Konokarei smiled as he held out his arms and Sesshoumaru put the pup into them. He was careful of how he held him, he smiled when the pup looked at him. He had a thought, he raised his hand and in it appeared a necklace. He put it on the pup and said an incantation under his breath.

When he was done, he looked up to see Sesshoumaru eyeing him like a hawk. He chuckled while he said, "The necklace will protect the pup at all times. He is still too young to summon the powers of the earth so the lands will act on their own to protect him until he is able to do it."

Sesshoumaru for his part was keeping a close eye on his pup. He wanted to make sure that his pup was not hurt in anyway. He knew that Konokarei would not hurt him but it was instincts that was driving him. When he heard what Konokarei gave his pup he was pleased that it would protect the pup until he could do so on his own.

Then he heard, "Sesshoumaru do you have a name for him?"

Sesshoumaru moved forward and took his pup back from his grandfather. He looked at him when the perfect name came to him. "Yes, I do have the perfect name for him. Mate I would like to name our son Mataki."

Kagome thought about that name and she agreed. Her son was perfect in every way. She then turns her eyes towards her father. She smiled as she said, "Daddy, I'm happy to see you. How did you know that I was giving birth today?"

Konokarei laughed when he replied, "I didn't know that you were going to give birth today. The lands warned me that there was trouble in this area. It was preparing to attack the shiro because the earth felt your pain. And when you didn't respond to the lands it took it as you were in trouble and needed help.

"I was unable to stop the first attack from hitting the grounds outside. But when I got here I calmed the lands and then came in to see what was going on and why you wouldn't respond to the lands. That is when I found out that you were in labor and understood why the land was upset.

"My little one you must remember to warn the lands if you are pupped and about to give birth. This way the lands will not attack the area you are in to protect you, unless you call for them to help you."

He then turned and said to all in the room, "I must leave you now. Take care and be well my little one." He leaned down and kissed Kagome on her forehead, then he stood up and raised his staff. He disappeared from the room and Kagome was left with a longing in her heart to spend some time with her father.

The pack seeing that Kagome was upset at her father leaving her all left the room to allow Sesshoumaru to deal with his mate.

Sesshoumaru noticed the sad look in his mate's eyes when she saw her father leave. He could understand what she was going through. He missed his own father at times and it was something that she must deal with. He approached with their pup, then he sat down near her and said, "You could always call to him to come and visit mate. I get the feeling that he does not show himself very often and if you were to call to him when we were alone I'm sure he would come and stay longer."

Kagome thought about what her mate was saying to her and he was right. Her father was not one to show himself so easily. Maybe after the pack has settled down she will call to him one night so she could spend some time with him. She missed him and wanted some time with the man that gave her life.

Kagome sighed, "Mate can we go back to our rooms?"

Sesshoumaru nodded to his mate's request, he placed the pup in her arms and then picked her up. They were up in their rooms in seconds, Kagome placed the sleeping pup in his tiny bed and went to cleanup. She knew that Sesshoumaru would tend to the pup until she returned.

Sesshoumaru watched while his mate tended to the pup. She placed him in what she called a bassinet and then she went to the hot springs. He knew that she was going to bathe and wanted to join her but he could not leave the pup unguarded.

So, he sat on the bed and waited for his female to return from her bath.

Kagome didn't take that long to bathe. She knew her pup will wake up soon to feed. But she needed a bath, she needed to get cleaned up from all the blood that spilt when she gave birth. Plus, she had to cast her spell to make sure that she only bled out when she went to the bathroom. It was a great spell to have when you were on your monthly cycle.

Kagome noticed that her breasts were full of milk, they felt uncomfortable, and knew that it was time to feed her pup. She got dressed and went back to her room. She made it just in time when she heard her pup fussing because he was hungry.

She went to her pup and first cleaned him up, once that was done she settled down to feed her pup. She was sitting on her bed when she opened her kimono and the pup quickly lashed on to a nipple.

Sesshoumaru was fascinated, he moved closer to his mate and watched the pup feed from his mate's breast. His favorite treat was now feeding his pup when he sniffed at his mate. Her milk was rich in nutrients for the pup and it will keep him healthy for a long time to come. He just had to make sure that his little mate ate a lot of meat for the pup, because if she didn't it will weaken her.

He felt when his mate leaned against his chest, he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his lap. He cradled her in his arms as the small little family enjoyed the closeness of each other.

Once the pup was fed they all settled down to rest. Now their schedule will be the same as the pups until he got a little older.

-oOo-

A full moon cycle has passed and Sesshoumaru had no choice but to present his new pup to the other Lords of the lands. His son had to be presented so that everyone knew that he had an heir to the lands.

In the time that he has been mated to Kagome she had to fight a few times to keep the bitches from flaunting themselves in front of him. They all knew that he was mated and they each fought his little mate for mating rights and each of them met with their end by his mate's hand.

Now he had to call a meeting of the western court to present his pup and heir. He was not looking forward to it. He didn't like the idea of having all those males in his home around his mate.

He knew that his mate was loyal to him but those males would not care once they got a look at her. She was beautiful, loyal, powerful, and kind hearted. They will all want what he has and he will not allow anyone to take away his mate.

With a sigh of frustration, he picked a date when he could present his pup and mate to the rest of the ruling Lords of the lands. This was going to put his nerves on edge but it was only for one day, but at the same time he was wondering how many males he would have to kill that day for his mate.

-oOo-

The day finally came for Sesshoumaru to present his mate to the rest of the Youkai of the lands. He will present his pup as well so that they all know that he has an heir for the west. His mate has been taking care of the shiro while she got it prepared for all the guest that they will have this day.

The gardens have been prepared for the presentation. The food has been picked and his mate saw to all the details along with the pack. They were in their rooms getting ready as his mate walked out of the closet as she called it in a beautiful white kimono that matched his own. The sakura blossoms were on her sleeves and hem of the kimono. She looked beautiful in that kimono when he growled his pleasure.

He walked over to his mate and wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her into his chest. He loved holding his mate and was gently growling for her. She responded in kind as she growled back and returned his affections 10-fold.

He kissed his mate and then pulled away from her soft sweet lips, "Come my mate it is time that the rest of the Youkai on these lands know that I have taken a mate and now have a pup that is the heir."

Kagome pulled away from her mate and agreed with his statement. She wanted this to be over with because she knew she would be fighting today. Those Youkai bitches were going to come after her mate and she was going to kill them for even thinking that they could have him. He belonged to her, end of story.

They both left as they walked out of their rooms, there waiting for them, was the pack along with Akiho. She has volunteered to take care of the little prince because of what his mother did for her. Plus, Akiho knew that his mother needed to be free from her pup if she needed to take care of business. Even she knew that Kagome would be fighting some demoness for her right to stay by her mate's side. Those bitches didn't know when to leave well enough alone.

The family moved out as they were making their way towards the gardens. Sesshoumaru had his mate with his arm wrapped around her waist. He kept her close because she was carrying their son and he didn't trust these males that were here. But before they walked out, to greet everyone, one of the servants yelled, "Introducing the Lord and Lady of the West."

All the Youkai that were there stopped their talking as they turned their attention towards the ruling pair as they made their appearance.

The female Youkai were eyeing Sesshoumaru like he was a piece of meat and the males were no better as they all got a good look at the female that was on Sesshoumaru's arm. She was beautiful and they could tell that she had some power to her but they really couldn't tell how powerful she was because she was releasing very little of her aura.

They all wondered why she was doing this. She was either very powerful or she was very weak. They all knew that Sesshoumaru would never pick a weak mate so her being weak was not the answer. They waited patiently for the ruling pair to stop on the dais so they could hear what Sesshoumaru had to say.

Sesshoumaru continued to walk until he got to the dais, once he climbed up with his mate he turned to face all that were there. He cleared his throat and started to address that Youkai that came to his home, "I have gathered you all here today because this Sesshoumaru has taken a mate and she has gifted him with an heir.

"May I present my mate, Kagome, the Shikon Miko, and Konokarei daughter." Kagome stepped forward as she stood by her mate's side. The females were pissed that they lost their chance with Sesshoumaru since he has taken a mate, plus she has gifted him with a pup.

The males on the other hand were drooling at what Sesshoumaru said. She was the Shikon Miko and on top of that she was Konokarei's daughter. Now they knew that she was very powerful and they felt cheated that Sesshoumaru of all the Youkai in the lands got this female as his mate. Even though she just gave birth they could defeat Sesshoumaru grab his female and mate her before she knew what was going on. The pup they will kill so they can get a pup of their own.

Kagome wrinkled her nose when she started to smell the arousal of the male in the gardens. She knew that something was going to happen but she expected it to be the female Youkai that were going to challenge her not the males, this complicated things, when she heard her mate continue with his announcements.

Sesshoumaru was picking up on the scent of arousal from the male's present in his home. But he had to finish with what he needed to do before he went and kill all those that wanted his female. "Now I have the pleasure of presenting my pup, Mataki Prince and heir to the Western Lands."

Kagome handed her pup to her mate as he raised the pup up for all to see. He was now officially heir to the lands and gave him back to his mother.

At that moment one of the more powerful male that was in the crowd stepped forward, "It's not fair that you Sesshoumaru, would get such a powerful female to be your mate. She should have gone to one of the other clans in the lands to give us a boost in status."

Sesshoumaru turned to the male in question and growled viciously at him. "You will do well to hold your tongue. My lady is not a thing to be processed. She is a powerful female and she picked who she wanted to be with and that was me. You are not powerful enough to subdue a female of Kagome's caliber."

The male didn't care what Sesshoumaru was saying about his female, all he knew was that he wanted her as his mate, "It matters not, I challenge you Sesshoumaru for mating right to this female. When I kill you, I will rule the west and the female in question will be my mate."

Both males froze in place when a powerful aura was released in the area. When Sesshoumaru looked behind him he found his mate pissed as hell. She was seeing red when he moved over to his mate to calm her down.

He growled gently while he held her and it worked to bring her back to reality. Then he whispered into her ear, "Worry not my little mate. I will not lose to this fool that wants to take you away from me. I love you my mate and we will be together for all eternity. Now wait here until I take care of the bastard."

Kagome heard what her mate was saying to her. She expected to be fighting today but the tables were turned as it was her mate that now had to fight to keep her by his side. She nodded her agreement that she would stay put and let her mate fight this fool.

Sesshoumaru kissed his mate's forehead, he turned and went after the male that wanted his mate. Everyone moved over to the open field because Sesshoumaru did not want to damage the gardens that his mate loved so much, to including Rin.

Once they were in the open field the other male attacked Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru watched to see what kind of power he had. He quickly moved out of the way as the male missed him, and Sesshoumaru landed a blow to his back making him go face first into the dirt.

The male got up while he spits dirt out of his mouth and attacks again. This time Sesshoumaru sent his golden whip and hit his opponent in the chest, sending him flying backwards to the ground once again.

The male that dared to challenge Sesshoumaru for his mate was hurt when he felt Sesshoumaru's poison going into his body. He growled when his eyes bleed red. He wanted this female no matter what and he was going to get her. He made to attack again but instead of attacking Sesshoumaru he sent an attack towards his mate.

Sesshoumaru moved with speed, he reached his mate and pack and deflected the attack away from his lovely mate. He then growled at his mate to put a barrier around the pack so they will be protected while he went after the fool that wanted to kill his pack.

The fool wanted to see his mate's powers but he didn't want her to release her true powers to all here. She shouldn't have to when she had him to protect her. He had enough of this fool when he cracked his knuckles and let his poison come forth. He then ran towards him and slashed, he stopped a few feet away from him with his back to his opponent.

He waited only a few seconds when the idiot fell dead on the ground. Then he heard his mate growl when he turned and noticed about 4 more males that were trying to get to his mate. He had enough when he let his youki go.

He let it go so fast that it knocked everyone away from his mate. He continued to walk slowly towards his mate as his hair was moving on its own. His eyes were red and he was slowly losing control over his beast. No one touched what was his. He held on to his ningen form when he stated in a bestial voice, "How dare you go near my mate without my permission. This presentation is over, you will all leave the western lands now. If I find you anywhere near my shiro I will kill you all."

Kagome walked away from the pack and went towards her mate. She flared her aura as she wrapped it around her mate and it started to calm him down. Once she was to his side she nuzzled and licked his neck and that brought her mate back from his anger.

No one has ever seen Sesshoumaru release so much of his powers. His aura was powerful and it surrounded his body like a second skin. His hair and tail were moving on its own all the way into the air. They knew that Sesshoumaru was powerful but to see what he just did blew them away. No one was as powerful as Sesshoumaru.

They all turned and left the western shiro. They didn't want to be killed by the Daiyoukai. Once the guests were all gone Sesshoumaru calmed down enough to wrap his arm around his mate and then moved towards the shiro, from that day forward no one challenged him for his mate. She was his and she will stay by his side for all eternity.

Even the female Youkai now knew not to come near him or his mate. He was not interested in them. Plus, all the females noticed how powerful his mate was when she approached the powerful male that was releasing so much power.

She had no problems calming his beast back down. The demoness would never approach their mate when their beast has taken over the host. It was just not done, they were not a match for their beast. But this little female was powerful enough to calm his inner beast and that said something about her and her powers.

They will never challenge her for her mate as they left the shiro and went home. This was one male that was off limits to all of them.

Once all the guests were gone the shiro settled down and everything got back to normal. The way Sesshoumaru liked it.

A few days later when everything was quiet, Kagome went to the gardens as she sat down among the trees and flowers. She loved this place when she said in a low voice, "Daddy are you near?"

She waited for a few minutes and when her father didn't show up a tear fell from her eyes and she said in a low voice, "Daddy why don't you answer me?"

The tears continued to fall when she heard, "My little one why are you crying?"

Kagome looked up and saw her father standing in front of her. She rushed into his arms as she cried tears of joy. They both stood there for a few minutes and when she was done crying she stepped back and said, "I didn't think you would want to see me anymore."

Konokarei just stood there when he heard his daughter's words, "Now why would you think that? I told you that I will only be a wind breath away from you. All you have to do is call for me and I will be here to see you."

Kagome lowered her head, she didn't understand why she had to call for him to come and see her, "It's just that I have missed you. You left when I was very young and you left a big hole in my heart."

Konokarei couldn't help it, he stepped forward and wrapped his daughter in his strong arms. He didn't want to leave her behind but he didn't have a choice in the matter. "I'm sorry my daughter but I didn't have a choice back then. I was needed because the lands were crying out to me. I didn't want to leave you when you were so small. I still kept watch over you but I couldn't let myself be seen."

Kagome pulled away from her father and then she asked, "Is that why you won't come near me when I'm with the others from my pack? Because you do not want anyone to know that you have a daughter or a grandson now?" Kagome was becoming upset as she confronted her father on why he wouldn't come and see her during the day when he could visit with her son.

Konokarei didn't think that his daughter would be so upset about him not coming around as much as he would like. He sighed, "Kagome, it's not that I don't want to be near you, it's that I have a lot of work to do. The lands are in dire straits and it needs me at the moment. Until the lands settle down and the trees are healthy once more I can't spend a lot of time with you. Your mother understood when she mated me what would happen."

Kagome was having none of it, "Do you know what my mother went through when you left us? I had to see her cry day after day because she was lonely and missing you, only to find out now that you are the guardian of the lands. The Kami's may have decreed that it would be your daughter that will fight the evil on these lands but at a great sacrifice to all involved.

"Tell me daddy did you even miss us? Did you suffer as much as my mother did when you were separated?" Kagome eyed her father to see how he would respond to her questions. When she saw the pain in his eyes she had her answer. "Tell me daddy how is this fair to you and mother. I can tell that you really love her why can't you go back to her? I have fulfilled my duties to the Kami's so why can't you have a little happiness in your life?"

Konokarei looked at his daughter in awe, she had a valid point. "That is true my daughter. You have fulfilled your duties to the Kami's which is why you were given the freedom to live your life the way you want. I should speak to them and see if I will be free to be with your mother. It will take time but I will see what I can do.

"You see my little one I will have time. I can't go now and be with her. I must wait until her era comes around to be with her again. She still must raise your brother and once he is a grown man then I can go to her. Maybe by then I will figure out how to bring her into my world so that she may stay with me forever."

Kagome understood what her father was saying. He did have a point her brother was still growing up and will need a few more years before he was a grown man. She will be there when the time came. But for now, she will be happy just spending some time with her father. 

They spent a long time in the gardens as they talked and got to know one another all over again. It was one thing growing up with someone as your father, but when he was gone for much of your life you lose whatever you knew about that person.

Konokarei enjoyed his time with his daughter. He understood what she was saying and she had a valid point. He would never come to her when she was with her friends and family. He told her that he would try to come and visit her to be part of her family once again. This made Kagome happy as she continued with her life with her father being a part of it.

-oOo-

The centuries passed and Kagome lived a happy life with Sesshoumaru. Her life was a busy one as she raised many pups. They only had a couple of incidents in which Kagome had to teach some Youkai a lesson in manners and their lands suffered for it. They would come back and apologize to her and she would set things to right on their lands once more.

The Youkai learned to respect Kagome or they would suffer her wrath. She kept the lands safe and healthy as it provided for all who lived on the lands. The ningens learned the hard way to not cut down the trees. There were laws set into place that they could not cut the trees.

The only trees that the ningens were allowed to cut were the ones that fell over on their own. Anyone caught cutting down trees had to answer to Kagome on why they went against her wishes. She then started to educate the ningens on how to take care of the lands.

It took centuries but she was finally getting through their thick skulls. She finally figured out what she needed to do. Instead of talking to the adults it was easier to talk to the children. They listened to her when she talked and they learned fast. They would come up with games that they would play and see who would come up with the best ideas to build things using stuff that they had plenty of. Soon the pups were building all kind of things and none of it needed wood. That pleased Kagome and it kept the lands safe for the future.

-oOo-

Finally, it was time for Kagome to see her mother. She couldn't wait to talk to her again. She could see her from a distance but she couldn't talk to her. It would upset the balance of time if she went to her mother now. She had to wait until the time was right.

On this day, Kagome and Sesshoumaru were slowly climbing the stairs to the shrine. It has been a long time since she has climb them. To her mother, it would have been a few days ago, that she left her home, but for her it has been a life time of waiting.

Once they got to the top of the stairs Sesshoumaru brought his mate closer to his body and held her in place. He escorted her to her home as they knocked on the door.

Asumi was drying her hands while she was making her way to the door. She was wondering who it could be at this time in the morning. She knew that the shrine was not opened now so it could not be visitors.

She hurried on her way as the knocking became persistent. She finally made it to the door, still drying her hands, she opened it and asked, "Good morning, how can I help you?" She looked up from drying her hands and she almost had a heart attack. There standing in front of her was her only daughter as tears of joy were going down her cheeks.

She opened her arms and Kagome ran into them as both women started to cry tears of happiness.

Once they broke apart Kagome said, "It's been a long time since I have seen you mama. I missed you so much." She gave her mother another hug then slowly pulled away from her.

Kagome smiled beautifully at her mother saying, "Mom I want you to meet Sesshoumaru, my mate and husband."

Asumi could not believe her eyes. There stood the small Youkai Lord from a few days ago, in his normal form. She smiled at him while she stated, "I see that you were able to break the spell and follow your heart."

Sesshoumaru smiled as he bowed to Kagome's mother, "Yes, my mate was the one that broke it and got rid of the curse. I followed my heart after that and mated your daughter."

Asumi moved aside as she let her daughter and son in-law into her house. They talked for a long time as they told her what happened when they went back. Her mother started to cry when she heard that her daughter had given up her life so that the male that she loved could live on and protect the little girl that was with him.

But then Sesshoumaru told her how she was brought back to life so that she could be his mate. But at no time did they ever mentioned her father. This was a surprise that has been a long time in coming.

Kagome felt when her father was in the area. She then turned towards her mother and asked, "Mama… why didn't you ever tell me about daddy?"

Asumi was confused about her question, "I have told you about your father Kagome. Why would you think that I didn't?"

Kagome looked at her mother and let her concealment spell go. All her markings came out as her mother noticed that her daughter was now a Youkai just like her mate. "Because mama I have seen daddy and he has told me everything."

Asumi's eyes opened wide when she noticed the markings on her daughter, then she heard her words and put her head down. It still hurt to think about her mate and she missed him with all her heart. But she knew what she was agreeing to when she married him. He told her the truth about himself and she was head over heels in love with him so she agreed.

When their daughter was born, it was the happiest day of their lives. She was just a little thing and her husband was in awe with her. She noticed the power that her daughter possessed and knew that she would have great powers. But she also knew what she would face when she went back to the feudal era.

Then her son was born and she thought that she had the perfect little family when one day her husband told her that he had to leave. She knew that this day was coming but there was nothing that she could do to stop it.

Her husband left her in the care of the old man who thought that he was his son so that she would be protected and have a home to live in. Then when he left their home he kissed her goodbye and said, "Do not worry Asumi, if there is a way for me to return to you I will and we will be together for all eternity."

Asumi could only hope that he would return to her but he has not as of yet. She still held out for the day that he would come back.

She then turned her attention back to her daughter and said, "I was forbidden to tell you who your real father was. If you were to find out, then he was to be the one to tell you what happened so long ago."

She then turned hopeful eyes towards her daughter, "Have you seen him? Is he all right?"

Kagome could see the hurt in her mother's eyes when she tried so hard to be strong. But seeing her mother like this was too much for her. She closed her eyes and said, "Daddy."

A small breeze whipped around the room and when Asumi looked there stood her loving mate from so long ago.

Konokarei appeared when his daughter called to him. He appeared beside his daughter as he saw his mate from long ago. His eyes softened and opened his arms to his mate, she ran into them as they encircled her body and held her close to his.

You could see the happiness in his eyes when he held his mate. He was where he belonged with his mate and family. He has missed her all these years but he had to wait until now to be with her again. He could not get the permission he needed to make her immortal just like himself so they can be together, until now. He had to wait until time caught up again to this era before he could approach her once more.

His daughter was correct when she said that his obligations to the Kami's was now over. Once his daughter got rid of the evil from the lands and they allowed her to live in peace with her mate, he approached the Kami's and asked to have his mate back. They have both suffered much for the good of humanity and wanted a little happiness in his life.

Finally, after centuries of being alone he was once again with the one that he loved. It was a happy reunion, he raised his staff and then returned to the form that she was familiar with and was dressed in modern clothes just like his daughter and mate.

The little family got to know each other once again as it was getting dark once more. Kagome knew that soon her brother would be home and said, "Mama, I want you to take this envelope and go to the address that is in here. You can bring Souta with you since tomorrow is not a school day. That is where Sesshoumaru and I will meet you."

Asumi took the envelope and opened it. There was a lot of money in it and she was about to protest.

Kagome seeing that her mother was about to protest the money given to her, said, "Mama don't argue with me. Take the money because it's a long way out to where I live. Once you arrive at the station, call me and we will come to get you."

Asumi shut her mouth when she read the address she was given. Her daughter was right it was a long way away from here. She sighed but agreed to meet her at this address tomorrow.

Konokarei, Kagome, and Sesshoumaru all got up as they all walked to the door. They all said their goodbyes and that they would see her tomorrow.

Asumi stood there as she watched her daughter, Sesshoumaru, and her husband leaving the shrine. It was bitter sweet for her, now she knew that her husband was finally back. She was wondering if he was going to keep his promise to her. She sighed, turning towards the door she went back inside. It was time for her to get the evening meal together before her son got back from school.

She was wondering what was going to happen tomorrow when they arrived in Kyoto where her daughter seemed to live.

She guessed that she must wait and see why her daughter invited her and her brother all the way out there. When her son comes home from school she must tell him that they were going on a trip in the morning. She hoped that everything will turn out all right.

-oOo-

The following morning Asumi and Souta got on a train and headed for Kyoto. It was a long ride out there and when they were getting close to the city they called Kagome to inform her that they would be arriving at the train station in about 30 minutes.

Kagome hung up the phone once she was done talking to her mother. She turned towards her mate, "Mama will be at the train station in 30 minutes. Is everything ready?"

Sesshoumaru looked at his mate, he smiled and stated, "Yes my mate. Everything is ready and I have taken the liberty to have Shippou go and get her."

Kagome laughed and she agreed with her mate that it was a good choice.

-oOo-

Shippou stood on the platform where Kagome's mother would be arriving shortly. He knew what they looked like because Sesshoumaru gave him pictures of both her mother and brother. He was looking forward to seeing his grandmother. He had always thought of her as such since his own mother would bring him back the treats that she would make for him.

Shippou has grown into a powerful Youkai. He was older now and had businesses of his own. Once his mother was married to the alpha everything went back to the way it should. She took care of him and the alpha made sure that he was trained.

In the west Sesshoumaru had a Kitsune general that trained him in his powers. He was now a nine tail Kitsune and very powerful just like his father. He worked hard and made it up through the ranks of Sesshoumaru's army and became one of his generals.

He kept watch over the pack as Sesshoumaru's beta. Inuyasha, even though he was Sesshoumaru's brother, was slow in developing his powers and maturing into the Youkai that he knew he could become. Maybe it was because he was a hanyou or it might be that he was not raised by his brother, but it took him longer to learn the things he should have learned when he was younger.

Shippou was brought out of his musing when he looked up and notice that the train was finally arriving. He stood there and scanned the area for his grandmother. He finally saw her getting off the train and he approached her.

He bowed while he asked, "Excuse me are you Kagome's mother?"

Asumi looked at the handsome young man that addressed her. He was a Kitsune, she smiled and said, "Yes, I'm her mother."

Shippou smiled and said, "I was sent to escort you back to the house. Mama and Sesshoumaru will be there waiting for you."

Asumi turned her head just slightly and she asked, "Mama?"

Shippou laughed at his grandmother, "Yes Kagome is my mother. My name is Shippou and she took me in and raised me when my parents were killed."

Asumi smile turned brilliant when she asked, "Are you the little Kitsune that I made all those cookies for?"

Shippou scratched the back of his head, he was embarrassed, "Yes that was me. Mama never let me have more than one and with good reason. Sugar and I just don't mix. I get super hyper when I eat too much sugar. She still keeps an eye on me to make sure that I don't eat too much candy along with my mate."

Asumi couldn't help but laugh. She thought that he was adorable when she was escorted, along with her son, to the awaiting car just outside. The ride only took another 20 minutes when the car turned off the road and started to go through, what she thought was a forest. She has never seen so many trees in all her life. It was breath taking and the peace she felt when they entered the forest was amazing.

She never thought that she would ever feel this way. No wonder her mate left her to go back to the lands. If this is what he created all those centuries ago she could understand when the lands called out to him.

They exited the forest and came upon a large mansion that was situated in the middle of a clearing. It was like a fairy tale place. The mansion was not made from concrete, it was made of trees that were intertwined with each other. It was a living house as the trees were still alive, she noticed when her daughter walked out of the front of the house.

The car stopped as they all exited the automobile and stood there. Asumi watched when her daughter ran to her and she gave her a big hug. Once they were done Kagome turned her attention to her brother, she gave him a hug and then said, "Mom there is someone here who wants to talk to you. Souta and I need to have a talk."

Asumi was confused when both her children walked away from her, then she turned and saw her husband standing there looking at her. She hurried her pace and went into his arms. Oh… how she has missed being held in his arms. It was warmth and safety for her as she took in his scent. It has not changed in all this time. He still smelled of the forest with the earthy scent that she loved.

Konokarei held on to his mate as she brought comfort to his soul. Finally, he will have his mate if she would still have him. He knows that it has been centuries for him and years for her since they have been together but if his daughters plan worked then she will be with him for all eternity.

He rubbed her back gently when he pulled away from her. He kissed her, it was a wonderful feeling that he got once her sweet lips touched his. He missed this most of all as the kiss became passionate. He could smell her arousal and he knew then that she still loved him.

He broke the kiss when she needed to breathe, looking into her eyes, he said, "It has been so long since I have felt your sweet lips upon my own. I told you long ago that if I could find a way to keep you for all eternity that I will return to you so we could be together. I ask you now, love of my life, do you accept me as your mate once again? And do you want to stay with me for eternity?"

Asumi could not believe her ears. Was he asking her to be his wife once again? And to be with him forever? Tears could be seen going down her cheeks as she said, "Konokarei are you saying that you will never leave me again? That we can be together forever?"

Konokarei looked at his mate and said, "Yes that is exactly what I am saying. I want you forever. To be at my side for all eternity. The Kami's have seen the sacrifice that we have made for the good of the lands and its people. You do not remember what the world was like before Kagome and Sesshoumaru became the ruling Lord and Lady of the lands. The lands are now healthy. Everyone takes care of it and it's no longer dying.

"Our daughter has made me see that it was about time that we have our chance to be together. She has done the Kami's bidding and got rid of the evil from the lands. She has saved the Youkai from the past so they can live now in the present. She pushed me to go and see the Kami's and ask for our chance to be together.

"The Kami's agreed with our daughter but said that I had to wait until the lands settled down and we came to our era once more. That it will be up to you if you want to be my mate once more."

Asumi listened to everything that her husband was saying to her. She couldn't believe that it was her daughter that made her husband see the sacrifice that they were making for the good of the world. She was grateful to her for this great opportunity. She took a deep breath as she answered, "Yes I want to be your mate again, I have never stopped loving you and I want to be with you forever."

Konokarei could not believe his luck. She still wanted him as her mate. He still loved her deeply and would have let her go if she had someone else that she was interested in. He told her this and his mate smacked him on the chest.

Asumi could not believe what she was hearing, "How could you even think of me in that way. I gave you my heart when we first married, and when you left I told you that I would wait for your return. I never gave up hope that you would return to me, but before we get married again I want you to meet your son. He has never known you and I would like it if you two would get to know each other."

Konokarei was about to say something when they heard, "Mom that won't be necessary, I have talked to Souta and we are both in agreement, that you and daddy need to be together."

Kagome looked into her father's eyes and said, "I told him everything daddy, he knows all about you and there are no ill feelings. But he still wants to get to know you as his father."

Konokarei could not believe what he was hearing. His daughter told her brother everything and he understood and wanted to know him as his father? He still didn't want to tell his mate that he was not his son, "I would be honored to get to know him."

Kagome smiled, then turned her attention to her mother, "Oh and mom, Souta is going to be living with me from now on. I will make sure that he goes to school and makes something of himself. Plus, he has some nieces and nephews that will keep him in line since they will be going to the same school."

Asumi had no idea what was going on. "What do you mean that Souta is going to live with you? Why does he have to stay with you? We can all live at the shrine."

Kagome sighed, her father didn't finish speaking to her mother about him not being able to leave this place, "Mom, you have agreed to be fathers mate once more. Once that happens you will not be able to leave this place. This is father's home, it is the center of the lands and his presence here is required. I found this out many centuries ago when he wouldn't spend any time with me and my son.

"You see mom this place is sacred, to keep the lands pure and happy he has to be here. If you agree to be with him, you will change just like I did and you will be required to stay here with him. You may leave from time to time but you can't stay away from here for any given amount of time."

Asumi was shocked to hear this, she turned towards her mate and asked, "And when were you going to tell me all of this?"

Konokarei looked sheepish, "I was going to tell you but I was just so happy that you agreed to be mine once more. But does this change your mind in wanting to stay with me?"

Kagome looked on as she watched her parents. She knew what her mother would say but she was on pins and needles as well. What if she doesn't want to stay here with her father? What will happen to him? She looked on with worry in her eyes.

Asumi took a deep breath and then let it out. There was a big decision to make and she didn't know what to do. She looked at her son, she wondered what he thought about all of this, "Souta? Are you all right with this?"

Souta stood there and listened to what was being said. He and his sister talked for a while. She explained some things to him and he was surprised that her father was not his. He was upset at first but he understood what the Kami's did. He will carry on the Higurashi name for his real father's sacrifice in letting the Kami's carry out their plans. She was still his sister no matter what. They still had the same mother.

She told him what her father was going to do and if he would be all right with that. He thought long and hard about her question and then concluded that yes, he would be all right with it. He wanted his mother happy, for too many years he has seen her cry when she thought no one was watching.

She deserved to be happy, plus his sister told him that he will be going to a new school that will test him and his mind. She knew that he could become someone great if just given a chance and something that challenged him. He had nieces and nephews that were his age so he will not be alone.

Souta heard his mother's question and answered, "Yes mama I agree, I want you to be happy. I will be fine with Kagome and her family. From what she tells me she has a big family that you will be meeting soon."

Asumi turned her eyes towards her daughter, "And just how many children do you have Kagome?"

Kagome turned red from embarrassment, she forgot to tell her mother about that little piece of her life. Then she felt a strong arm coming around her waist when she heard her mate answer that question, "We have a total of 20 pups. Much of them are now mated with pups of their own. We still have a couple at home that are about Souta age and will keep him out of trouble. Plus, my lovely mate has yet to tell you that she is pupped again so this will make number 21."

Asumi's eyes opened wide when she heard this. "You have 20 children? And you're pregnant again? When were you going to tell me all of this?"

Kagome looked at her mate with heated eyes. She did not like being put on the spot by her mother. He should not have answered that question until after her mother mated her father. She sighed in irritation, "I was going to tell you and let you meet them all after your mating. But my mate seems to have forgotten that little part of my plan."

Sesshoumaru chuckled and said to his mate, "I do remember telling you that I did not like that particular part of your plan. Your mother deserves to know that she has grandchildren, great grandchildren, and great great grandchildren. Plus, those do not include the ones that Shippou and Rin have."

Asumi was listening as she said, "Shippou and Rin? Aren't they the children that you each had before you were mated?"

Kagome sighed in defeat, "Yes mama. Shippou is my kit and Rin was his ward. Well it seemed that they loved being together and when Rin came of age, Shippou asked Sesshoumaru for courting rights for his ward. He has always loved her and protects her still to this day. They have a total of 30 little kits and his family just keeps on growing."

Asumi could not believe what she was hearing. That cute little Kitsune that picked them up at the train station has 30 kits, ah children? This was a lot of information to take in. Then she turned back to her mate, she saw the concerned look in his eyes. She still has not answered his question, "I still accept being your mate, but the next time you don't tell me everything there will be consequences."

Konokarei didn't care about the threat because from this day forth there will be no more secrets between them. He reached over and pulled her into his side while he kept her close. It was the start of his new life with his mate and he was looking forward to it.

They all walked into the mansion that was there and Asumi was very surprised at what she saw. It looked like a normal house to her and she was very happy. Her little family sat down and talked for a while.

Asumi was curious about her daughter's friends, "Kagome what happened to the rest of your friends, the monk and Taijiya?"

Kagome's eyes grew misty at the thought of her best friends, "Well once we defeated Naraku, Sesshoumaru moved all of us back to the western shiro. We all settled down in the west and we got on with our lives. It didn't take that long for Miroku to ask for mating rites for Sango.

"Sesshoumaru agreed to the mating but with a threat that if he ever touched another female that my mate would rip his arm off. He agreed to the conditions of the mating and they were married three days later in a private ceremony at the western shiro.

"They lived a long and happy life with us. Sango gave her monk many children and they grew to be strong and powerful. Their children had the skills of the Youkai slayers and the power of their father. They were the only priest and priestess that protected the Youkai of the west. When they died, it broke my heart but their descendants are still part of our pack and still protect us to this day."

Asumi was happy to hear that her friends lived happy lives.

But all good things must come to an end as her daughter, mate, and her son said their goodbyes and left.

Once their children were gone her mate grabbed a hold of her and lifted her off the ground saying, "Now my lovely little mate. It is time for me to renew my mating with you and to bring you fully into my world. Are you sure that this is what you want?"

Asumi giggled at his eager words, "Yes, this is all I ever wanted."

No more was said while they vanished and went to their room. They were not seen for a few days as they let them get reacquainted once more.

A few days after their mating, Konokarei grabbed his mate and they disappeared from their home, and then reappeared in Kagome's home. There was a big celebration going on as Kagome ran and hugged her mother.

Congratulations were heard from everyone there as her daughter slowly started to make introductions to everyone there.

It has been a few hours now that Asumi has been at her daughter's house. She was exhausted with meeting so many of her grandchildren. She thought to catch a breath of fresh air while she had the chance, as she was sitting on a bench in the garden.

Asumi could tell that her daughter has had a happy life. She had the family that she always wanted and was expecting again. Then she started to think about her life and she was finally happy after all these years.

She learned that Inuyasha was finally mated as well. They gave her his apologies for not being there to see her but he was in the United States taking care of business and had taken his mate with him. From what she was told he too had many children, but what was important to her was that he was happy in his life.

She heard a noise off to the side, when she looked up she noticed that her daughter was coming towards her. She smiled and asked, "Kagome is something wrong? Why have you left your party?"

Kagome followed her mother, she wanted to make sure that she was all right. She heard her question and replied, "There is nothing wrong mama. I just wanted to make sure that you are all right."

Asumi smiled at her concern, "I'm fine Kagome just a little overwhelmed with everything. I didn't know I had so many grandchildren. I'm glad that your father has been in their lives."

Kagome nodded her agreement, "At first he wasn't but then I got mad at him and he saw things my way. But are you happy with your decision to be his mate again?"

Asumi smiled at that question, "Yes, I'm very happy. I have always loved him and always will love him with all my heart. Now my family is complete and I have everyone with me once more."

Kagome was happy with that reply as they both sat there in silence. They turned when they heard a noise and noticed that their mates were looking for them. They each grabbed their mates as they stood under the full moon and embraced their females.

It has finally come full circle. The sacrifices that each of their females have made has been great but it was well worth their sacrifices. They each had the males of their dreams and were living the life that they wanted to live. They will have each other and their complete family with them from now on.

Sometimes with great sacrifices, great rewards will come with it.

Fin

-oOo-

This is the end to my story. I would like to thank everyone who joined me on this journey and enjoyed this story as it progressed. It's been an honor to read all your reviews. It helped me during the difficult times in my life.

I have received questions on whether I have any more stories. Yes I do. I have one story that I will post a little later called Christmas Magic. It's a short story but it will be a Inu Papa and Kagome pairing. I'm going to try my hand at this pairing to see how it turns out.

I have another story that has turned into a monster of a story. I have decided that I will divide that story into two separate stories. The beginning and then what happens as they live their lives together and the trails that they face to finally have peace. But this is also a Inu Papa and Kagome pairing and it's not finished yet. This one is called Second Chance at Life.

So if you are all interested in these stories, I will post them on Fanfiction dot net. You are welcome to read them there if you wish. But it will be a little while before I post that one because I'm not finished with it yet.

I hope to hear from all of you in the future.

Until the next time!

Ja ne!


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